Shadowland Blind
by Silverwing013
Summary: New mission folks! This is no time for cake! The world must be saved...again! Will Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei figure this one out? Or will it all depend on this girl? Shadowland, however, is at her beck and call. Unless her body isn't....
1. Mission

Silverwing013: Don't ask, just read. It came to mind just a few days ago. It was begging to come out. I do not own YuYu Hakusho. I'd say more but you'll hear me talk more later.

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Zipping from tree to tree, the black blur seemed unnoticeable to the naked eye. The blur stopped, revealing a vertically challenged boy. His black cloak whipped around in the slight wind. A white bandana was wrapped around his head, jet-black hair stood up at an impossible height with a slight starburst of white. An annoyed expression played upon his face as he glared at the girl sleeping on the branch of his favorite tree.

Hiei growled mentally at himself. What was this human girl doing? She was in his tree and Hiei didn't feel like finding another one after being around the big oaf for the afternoon. Considering the ways he could wake the human, Hiei finally decided to just push her off the tree limb. Certainly a human couldn't die from that even. Koenma would have his ass haled in if he killed off one of these annoying humans.

Decision made, he reached out and pushed the human off. Startled, she woke up on the way down, managing to spot and grab onto a small limb. Hiei glanced down at the human girl in interest. For a human she had a pretty good shield up around her. Nothing Hiei couldn't brake through, but one that deserved small attention to. In fact, the human still had the shield up.

Hiei lay down comfortably, closing his eyes and gripping his katana tightly. Within a few minutes, the branch was shaking under him. He snapped his eyes open to see the human girl standing in front of him, starring blankly at him.

Her hand reached forward, curiously searching the empty air in front of her. Hiei wondered what the silly human was doing for a moment, and then pulled his sword from its sheath.

"Human, I couldn't be in a worse mood."

Her hand continued searching forward, drawing back quickly when it touched the tip of the sword. She sucked on the tip of her finger to rid of the blood, her eyes searching in front of her.

Hiei recalled back to a day he was outside the hospital with the others. She's blind! He realized with a jolt. Deaf too, considering how she hadn't even reacted to his voice before. How in the world did she find her way up here, he wondered to himself. Blind, deaf, it didn't matter to Hiei the least. She was in his tree. Bottom line.

He replaced the sword into its sheath; the other palm pushed her off the branch again. He watched her progress from falling, unlike before. He noted that she spotted a branch and grabbed onto it, managing to snatch the tree limb the first time around. What's this, he pondered. He was under the small belief she couldn't see.

She maneuvered herself from branch to branch. Only this time she headed downward and not back up to the spot where Hiei stood. She glanced upward at the branch before walking away. Hiei had met his length of strange humans in the past, but this one cut the cake. Was she pulling his leg, or could she really not see? Maybe due to her spirit energy and used to being blind, she could find her way around. Then again, her eyes had seen the branch.

He watched her for a moment, noticing she walked straight through the crowd, her ever-constant shield parting her way easily through the crowd. She never glanced at any person on her way down the road or at any laugh or talking the crowd of humans produced.

Considering her unimportant, he stretched out lazily on his branch ready to get a rest from the big oaf's stupid remarks from earlier.

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Dairy Entry

After my regular 'school visit' I pended my way back to rest in the cozy tree branch I discovered just yesterday. I think someone was there. They must have been pretty powerful. My shield never stood a chance both times I was pushed off. Thankfully, I was able to grab onto a tree limb to keep from falling the whole distance. Who ever it was, had something sharp. Knife, maybe? This is the first time I've ever actually have felt the touch of someone else since I was five. I wonder who it is. Perhaps I will go back to that tree later. I'm now curious about this somebody.

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"Why are we down here? Are you finally going to throw us a party for all our 'heroic' efforts?" Yusuke asked sarcastically.

Koenma threw Yusuke a glance. "Hardly Yusuke. There's a mission I must through on your heads once again."

"Jezz," Yusuke spoke up again. "And I thought we'd be getting confetti and cake."

Yusuke received another glare from the toddler-sized ruler. Kurama glanced at Yusuke, praying he could take the Spirit World Prince seriously for once. "No, Yusuke," Koenma said through gritted teeth.

"What party is one without cake?" Kuwabara asked incredulously.

This remark received looks from everyone.

"He wasn't serious oaf," Hiei sneered at Kuwabara.

"Hey, shrimpy! I wasn't asking you!"

"Better a shrimp than a big ugly orange carrot top who has no brains at all," Hiei said smoothly.

Koenma cut in before Kuwabara could retaliate. "Listen up. This mission needs to be taken seriously. The world depends on it."

Yusuke muttered under his breath, "Don't they all?"

Koenma ignored him and continued on his speech. "Several thousand years ago a prophecy was made for this year. This prediction told of a single person whom could control the future of the worlds. All of them. Either destroyed and to be left with only ash or to be saved from that dire fate."

"What else is new?" Yusuke muttered again.

"Are you going to take your detective status seriously?" Koenma spoke furiously. "Because now would be the time to do it!"

Deciding Koenma was serious, Yusuke shut his mouth. Sighing Koenma turned to the big screen behind him, pushing the play button on the remote.

A light cerulean colored demon stood on the screen. Exotic skintight clothes clung to her. Her navy hair flowed behind her. Nothing happened besides her standing there.

Kuwabara spoke up "Is she going to talk or are we---"

"Yes, I am going to talk carrot top."

Kuwabara drew back. "Eii…I thought this was a tape."

"It is," her voice clicked irritably. "If one of the right person is watching, then a piece of my soul comes to the tape to 'speak' to the other side."

"I understand," Kurama said.

"You do? Cause I as hell don't," Yusuke spoke out.

Kuwabara laughed at Yusuke.

"And you do Kuwabara," Yusuke said sarcastically.

Kuwabara stopped laughing. "Uh…no."

"Hn. This is pointless. I doubt my presence is needed." Hiei started his walk out.

"Stand still fellow demon. Walking out may contain more harm than good," the blue female demon on the screen spoke up.

"Since when have I been concerned?" Hiei said on his way out.

The gang watched his exit. Koenma sighed, asking "Kurama, please get him back in here."

Kurama headed for the door, but returned back without the fire demon. "He was nowhere to be seen."

Koenma sighed again. "Fill him up on what needs to be known later will you?"

Kurama gave a small nod toward the pint size ruler.

"I had more honor and respect given to me in the past I'll have you know," the female demon said.

"My apologies." Koenma said.

"No need, " she said casually, "I've dealt with worse. There are three out of the five here. I only hope the information goes the right way."

The two human boys gazed at her confused. Three out of five?

"The person who contains the whole prophecy, however, is not here. I will speak the prophecy now for your now living enjoyment. 'Seeing but unseen. Listening but unheard. The eyes and ears hold no sign of life. Yet holds the power to destroy or save it. One will save, one with humor, one with normality, one with sense. The choice is her own, but with much interference. Holds the end of the three worlds in the year of two thousand five.' Any more you want to know?"

"What did you just say?" Kuwabara blinked at difficultly of understanding.

"What did that load of crap mean?" Yusuke asked.

"Find out as you go along," she said mysteriously. "My time ends here."

Her body remained unmoving on the screen. Koenma asked the three of the gang remaining, "Is it done?"

Kurama looked mildly surprised. "Perhaps only people of the prophecy can hear it," he mused out loud.

"Yeah it's done," Yusuke said. "Didn't help me any though."

"We shall understand it as we go on. 'Seeing but unseen. Listening but unheard. The eyes and ears hold no sign of life.' I believe these are our clues to her it is referring to," Kurama said.

"That's great, but what does all that bull mean Kurama?" Yusuke asked frustrated. He wasn't counting on a mind game pulled on him.

"I can look it up as much as I can," Koenma spoke up. "But I daresay you shall run into her. That I can offer you help upon."

Koenma rushed off to search the books. The remainder of the gang starred at each other in silence. "Maybe we can't see or hear her no matter how hard we look?" Kurama suggested. "Maybe she can not move and appears dead. Or perhaps she is the one who can not see or hear us?"

"Call me when you are making any sense Kurama," Yusuke stretched his arms up into a yawn. "I'm heading off."

Yusuke and Kuwabara headed off for the exit, Kurama watched them go. Maybe, he thought, she is blind and deaf. But how can you see and listen and not see or hear? The way the female demon had said it, confused Kurama more. Deciding to sleep on it, he headed off.

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Diary Entry

Who ever it was, they didn't show up tonight. I was kind of hoping to…oh, I don't know what I was hoping. I'm hopeless. How could I even hope of 'seeing' another human again? Hopeless. It makes me angry to see my shield penetrated through so easily. Must work harder on my skills. Hn. I should just forget there is such a thing as other people. They are all gone. It was my imagination. There haven't been any people since I was five. Why should I believe there is? I guess I need something to hang onto in my existence. Keh'! Listen to me. I'm going soft. I remember back when my mama's first worry was me killing something. Mama….why did she agree to this horrible thing?

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Hiei looked on from above. He had a good idea on who the prophecy was talking about. He had watched the video from the doorway, hiding his spirit energy from Kurama. Heck if he was going to help those fools. He left without bothering her. In a few days he figured she would leave his favorite tree.

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Silverwing013: Hey! Glad to see you read through it all. Review please. If you flame it, add something useful. If you like it, say you do and why you do.


	2. Found

Silverwing013: yeah! One of my fav authors reviewed! Sorry, I have excitement problems lately. She brings up a good point…I guess if someone wants to check over my work before I launch it onto a chapter…um…say something. The search for the 'unknown girl' continues. Along with a search for something else....

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"Eikichi!"

Kuwabara searched frantically under the couch. Shizuru watched her brother tear the apartment apart in his search.

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty!" Kuwabara turned to his sister. "Shizuru, do you know where Eikichi went?"

"Yeah, I let it outside," she said calmly.

"WHAT!? You did what!?" Kuwabara shouted at her.

The apartment door slammed open and Kuwabara raced down the stairs. Reaching the entrance door he called out, "Eikichi!"

Shizuru sighed. "Doesn't he know how to take a joke?"

Finding her brother still searching when she walked out of the apartment, Shizuru held the cat out for him to see.

"Eikichi!" He screamed in relief.

"Oh Kazuma," said a female voice. "You found your cat."

"Yukina!" With that word Kuwabara rushed over toward the small ice maiden, Eikichi in tow.

Yukina gave a polite little laugh and pet Eikichi until he purred. (A/N yes, he. I looked it up in the magna to see if it was a girl or guy. It was referred to as a guy.)

As the conversation went by Eikichi roamed off, strolling down the sidewalk. A girl passing by noticed the cat and picked him up, petting him.

After some time into the conversation, Kuwabara finally realized that Eikichi was gone. "Eikichi! Here kitty, kitty, kitty!"

Yukina joined him, "Kitty, kitty, kitty!"

"Kazuma, there he is," Yukina pointed over to a girl sitting on a park bench, holding the cat.

"Hey! That's my cat!" Kuwabara rushed over to the girl. "Thank you for finding Eikichi!"

The girl payed no attention to Kuwabara what-so-ever. She continued petting Eikichi, causing the cat to purr deeply.

"Hey," Kuwabara said none to enthuse about being ignored. "Can you hear me?"

Kuwabara reached down and gently picked up the cat from her lap, her eyes trailed the cat being taken away. Kuwabara accidentally knocked into her during the process. Whipping her head to where he knocked into her, she looked shocked.

"Oops. Sorry there."

Before Kuwabara had finished apologizing, she had taken off.

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Diary Entry

Oh god! I must be going insane! I was petting this cat today that had wandered up to me and suddenly it was picked up by something invisible, flying in the air! What's more is that someone touched me again! I took off so fast. Safety of one's self. If ya can't see the enemy…but I thought all people were gone. Did they _all_ just decide to turn invisible on me or something? I've been having this really itchy feeling as I've been writing this to.

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Hiei glared down at the girl who sat in his tree again. Third time she had sat there, in fact. Only two times that Hiei had allowed her to. Hiei hoped she would just leave after a while. In the meanwhile…he didn't want to sleep in any other tree tonight and he wasn't tired. He settled down to begin meditating, which didn't settle his irritability at the moment. He wanted his tree back.

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Diary Entry

I must have been delusional. No one has touched me since then and it's been three days since I was last 'touched'. I guess my head was just playing games with me.

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Hiei 'grr'ed inwardly at himself from above. He hadn't had a good nights sleep since the girl had moved into his tree. No other tree would do, he hated staying at Kurama's or anyone else's house, and he had given up on the girl taking the hint and leaving. Hiei would have his tree back tonight. His tree. No one else's.

He hopped down in front of the girl, who started absently scratching her nose a bit. Hiei grinned. I must be making her shield itch, he thought; glad to make some revenge on her.

"Hey girl, if you mind me moving you, speak up."

Predictably, she didn't even notice him. She is the one, Hiei thought on the other side of his head. "Well, I guess not," Hiei said mockingly as if she could hear him.

With glee, he watched her fall. This time she was quicker on the uptake and actually landed on a branch on the way down. She looked questionably up at Hiei's spot and quickly climbed back up. It took Hiei a number of thirteen pushes, before she gave up and settled for the tree branch spot below him. Hiei dropped his sword on her to see a reaction.

She jumped out of the way and looked at the sword amazed. Instead of her running away like Hiei planned upon, she picked up his sword and started marveling it, running her fingers gently down the blade and handle. She grasped the handle and swung the sword a few times with practiced ease. Spotting a small brown moth that were common in this area, she watched it with her eyes and brought the sword quickly upon it so that she sliced it in half nearly.

Once again admiring the blade, she took it by its handle and tossed it straight up next to Hiei's branch above her. Catching it with ease, Hiei rushed down to her branch and pointed the sword at her. She couldn't see it. She was still starring up at the spot were Hiei had caught it. Hiei grabbed her attention by making small quick marks across her hand. She winced in pain and looked down at her hand, seeing thin red marks spelling out the word 'leave'.

As if this settled her mind, she lay back against the branch and started writing in that blasted notebook of hers again. Hiei moved back up to his branch, grumbling all the while about not being able to kill humans anymore. Within a few minutes, she was back up on his branch again. She reached out with her hands, feeling through the air. Knowing she couldn't see him, Hiei just sat there, starring at the stupid girl. She finally managed to reach his hair, and then with startling speed, pushed Hiei with both hands.

Hiei easily manuvered out of the way and waited for her to sit in his spot. She did so and Hiei dragged her useless weight up and dropped it near the outer limbs. She looked surprised up at Hiei's branch once again, but settled for sleeping at the base of the tree.

Hiei glarred down at her, but she made no futher attempts to get to his spot the rest of the night.

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"I'm just saying, there is something wrong with this girl. Her grades are exceptional, but she isn't able to tell there is anyone else around her. What do they call that? I forget, but they have her in special education when she could easily compete with Shuichi," spoke a brown haired gossiping girl in the hallway.

"_Better than Shuichi_?" said another girl in disbelief. "I _highly_ doubt it. Shuichi _is_ the best."

"I swear to it," the first girl said pledging her hand on her chest. "I saw her grades for this quarter…unbelievable."

Another girl spoke up from the pack, "So what is this so-called-girl's name?"

Before there was an answer from the first girl, the fifth girl of the pack shouted out, "Shuichi! Hey, over here!"

The famous red head gave a small smile at the group of five girls. "Hello. How are you?"

Three of the girls squealed behind the other two. One of the three whispered excitedly to the rest of them, "How are _we_?! _He's_ talking to _us_!"

"Fine," replied the first girl, her brown eyes looking up at the brilliant green. "How about that quarter test? It was brutal."

"I suppose I did okay on it," he answered back.

"Well Sabishii," the second girl gestures over to the first girl, "says there is some _mental_ girl that could actually compete with you."

"She isn't mental!" Sabishii, the first girl, cries out. "She just can't tell there are other people besides her around her all the time. I forget what they call it. Look, there she is!"

Sabishii points out toward a girl walking by. "It's rather rude to point," said the second, looking at the well-mannered Shuichi for his opinion.

"I agree."

Sabishii looks annoyed at the two. "I _doubt_ she'll notice. Here, I'll prove it."

She marches over in front of the girl, waves her hand energetically. The girl didn't even blink at the motion, just kept walking forward. Sabishii took a couple of steps away so the girl didn't run into her.

"See?" Sabishii grins at the group behind her, as if this proved her point. "But she's no dum-dum. I don't know why else they would keep her in special education."

Shuichi smiles slightly at the group of girls and bids them farewell and to have a good day. The three in the back muttered to each other, "How could we _not_?"

The girl that was mentioned earlier reached the door before Shuichi, yanking the door open with a jerk, she left the building. The door slammed into Shuichi's face, but he calmly opened it back up to exit. He noticed there was a shield up around the girl. Odd, he thought.

Her pile of books slipped from her grasp, tumbling down, landing on odd ends. She kicked the sidewalk in frustration and began to pick them up one by one. Shuichi bent down and picked up the last notebook, holding it up for her.

"Hear you go," he smiled at her.

She jumped back, startled. Then stepping cautiously toward him moved her hand a couple of quick times under the notebook. She stepped away quickly from the notebook.

Shuichi became worried over her actions. "Are you alright?"

She gave no answer, but continued starring at the notebook in an odd way. "Are you alright?" He rested his hand on her shoulder gently.

Yanking herself away from the touch, she snatched the notebook back, quickly running away from him. He starred after her in wonder as the crowded street seemed to part for her. But this was only due to her shield that stood up around her.

Shuichi watched her go, his head pondering over what had happened. He started walking toward his house when a statement flouted back to the top of his head. _'Seeing but unseen. Listening but unheard. The eyes and ears hold no sign of life.' _

His head quickly went over her actions. She saw the doorway and not him or anybody else. He didn't think she had actually heard him either. She could see and hear but she couldn't see or hear anybody, he realized. Nobody alive. No sign of life. Forgetting about going home, he rushed off to see the rest of the gang with this news.

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"Come on Yusuke! The others are waiting!" Keiko called back at him.

Yusuke grumbled, "Alright, alright already. I'm coming."

Yusuke remained going at the same pace to Genki's temple. "Yusuke!"

"Jeez. Coming," Yusuke started running to catch up with Keiko.

"Whoops!" Yusuke said from bumping into a girl on the street. "Sorry," he said quickly before taking off after Keiko.

"Puu, Puu, Puu!" The little penguin like spirit beast called out at the girl behind them rubbing her shoulder.

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Diary Entry

After my 'school visit' I dropped my books, quite by accident, and when I went to pick this notebook up, it was just sitting in the air. All on it's own! What's more, someone touched my shoulder! That's how many times in just the last week! I will no longer pretend no one else is alive but me. But why can't I see them! This is just getting out of hand! My shields have been getting stronger, why are all of these people able to penetrate it when I haven't felt a human touch since five?! So far there has been tree person, cat person, nice person, and rude bumped person. Hey…I just realized…there is usually a slight itching feeling on my shield before someone touched me. I'll have to watch out for that. To say the truth, I have kind of grown to _like _not having anyone around. It would screw up my whole world if I could suddenly see and hear people again. That seems weird. After all this time of hoping there is other people, I suddenly realize I like it this way. Gah'! It sounds like one of those comfort zones things I've read out of books. Getting so used to it a certain way, a person is reluctant to see change. I'm guessing I'll be seeing and hearing a big change soon. Can't write anymore, the sun's going down.

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Hiei watched the human put her notebook away. He was hoping she would go away, but she settled down some more, getting cozy in his spot. _His_ spot! He stood up and jumped furiously onto his branch in front of her. A millisecond away from roughly pushing her off, he heard a familiar voice inside his head call out at him.

_Hiei. _

_This better be good fox._ Hiei glared downward at the human.

_The rest of us are at Genki's. I think I have found the girl today. Koenma wants us to check and bring her to Spirit World._

_About time. If I drag her there, can she stay off of my tree? _Hiei asked irritated.

There was a sudden pause._ How long have you known whom it is Hiei?!?_

_Hn. _

_How long Hiei?_

_Hn. _There was silence.

Hiei heard Kurama sigh. _I'll take that as no answer. Don't harm her Hiei. She can't see or hear you._

_Fine fox. _Hiei growled out the last bit, looking evilly at the human laying comfortably on his branch. Time for payback, he thought. Here's for sleeping in _my_ tree human.

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Silverwing013: The search has ended. But...Hiei could cause a problem here. Kurama should be realizing that. If you like, review. If ya didn't.... I give you permission to flame it if you add in why you hated it. Give me something to work with. Be reasonable ppl.


	3. Captured

Silverwing013: Thank you all for oh so kindly waiting upon a review. I thank my one and only reviewer! If only I could get some more on this story...ah well. perhaps my genius will be thanked in later days. I have been busy. Dani and I are going to combine for a log-in name and post all of our crazy one shots there. Such as, If I Were A Lazy Human, The 25 Cent Pendent, Candy Machine Terror-for some examples. I've also been busy on figuring out Until I Say, considering the comp at home just deleted all my work on it except for one page. grrrr. So I've got to find my backup disk...and actually use it. hee-hee. I've also been working on my Forbidden Trilogy because I'm posting that one as soon as Until I Say is finished. When the story Until I Say is in fact in my Forbidden Trilogy (the second part). So, enough of rambling. To the story.

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This branch is pretty comfortable, the girl thought. No wonder tree person keeps shoving her off of it. She opened up one eye a bit to look around. As far as the girl could tell, tree person was around there somewhere because her shield was itching right in front of her. Perhaps, she thought, I could write something to them and tree person could answer. Considering she wouldn't be able to hear what tree person said anyway.

With a sudden jerk, Hiei hefted the girl up and carried her off on what seemed invisible means for her away from the tree. The girl knew at once that this was tree person, but wasn't going to be carried off like a sack of flour. Okay, tree person has gone too far, she thought furiously, pushing me off was one thing but carrying me off…out of question. Thrashing around in different directions with her arms and legs got no results and hit nothing but air. She missed Hiei by quite a bit if that's who she was aiming for. Frustration took her to search for the knife she used to hunt down some animals if she got hungry away from school.

Hiei noticed the weapon being branded out of its cover from her pocket and knocked it from her hand. The girl watched as her weapon flew behind her. Kicking furiously in the direction of the itching feeling, she watched her foot make contact with something invisible. Hiei stumbled and the girl desperately clawed her way out of Hiei's unseen hands. Pushing up from her hands from the ground, she ran back toward the park area in desperation.

Hiei raced after the human's speed with ease and poked her in the back of the shoulders to see her chuck forward from the unbalancement. Hiei gave an evil grin at her. Oh she will pay, Hiei thought. Standing back up as fast as a human girl could, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the itchy feeling 'tree person' had on her shield. Finding it, she swung her arm out at Hiei. Hiei caught it in his hand before it came close enough to hit him. Struggling to get her arm away from the vice-like grip, the human girl found her concentration grow on 'tree person's itchy feeling.

_'Let go!' _

_'Hn. A psychic. Figures.' _A guy's voice spoke her head.

_'Who are you? And WHAT are you doing in MY head?' _She thought with shock and furiously. She didn't enjoy people in her head, even though this had never happened to her before.

_'You wanted me there.' _The voice answered.

_'I don't WANT you in my head! Get out!' _She screamed at the guy mentally.

_'Only if you promise to come along quietly.' _The voice said quickly, but it held no promise of him keeping its promise to stay out of her head.

_'You're tree person?' _This would be the only reason she could see why the male voice had asked her to come along quietly. _'I won't! I WON'T!' _

Cutting off her fierce concentration on tree person's, or she should say tree guy's itchy feeling, the girl found her head now voice free. Not wanting to argue with the stupid human girl, Hiei didn't even attempt to enter her head to reason with her. Hiei's hand tightened its grip on the hand she had attempted to hit him with earlier. She kicked outward to where she hoped he was, but failed to kick anything solid.

There was a sharp pain on the back of her neck. So much for making my shield stronger the girl thought as the world slipped away.

Darkness….

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"How long does it take him to get here?" Yusuke grumbled, ready to pulverize the fire demon.

"Shrimpy is getting slow," Kuwabara agreed.

Kurama glanced over at the two complaining, and then took to starring absently at the door of Genkai's Temple.

To say the truth, Kurama was a bit worried himself on Hiei's lateness. It had been fifteen minutes since he had contacted him and it only took Hiei five to get to Genkai's from the park. Kurama was certain that was where the fire demon had probably been. But then…how long had it taken to find the girl? What if Hiei just took her from her home? If he had…Kurama hit himself mentally. Why didn't Kurama tell Hiei not to harm anyone else when he was at it? The girl probably had parents or siblings. Hiei sounded annoyed and wouldn't have hesitated if they were in his way.

Kurama searched outward for Hiei's spirit energy to see if he could reach the fire demon again. Kurama sighed out loud. It was nearby, coming toward Genkai's with quite small spirit energy on it compared to anyone on the Urameshi team. He didn't sense any other spirit energy. So I guess Hiei didn't harm anyone, he thought.

"If he doesn't hurry up, he's in for a pounding," Yusuke continued, clearly ticked at the fire demon for making them wait. His fingers drummed the floor irritably, glaring at the door.

"Yusuke," Keiko abolished Yusuke from across the room.

"Puu?" Yusuke's spirit beast seemed to question, looking from Yusuke to Keiko.

Puu was currently sitting comfortably in Keiko's lap. Yusuke gave his spirit beast a glance that no one could really decipher.

"Hold your patience dim wit," Genkai walked into the room, sipping on a cup-a-tea.

Yusuke looked over at his mentor, and then went back to drumming his fingers, glaring at the door. Genkai sat near Kurama, silently watching the door from the corner of her eyes. Yusuke glared over at her and muttered under his breath, "Hag."

Genkai retaliated at Yusuke by throwing the tea saucer at his head, promptly causing Yusuke to fall over backwards from the force of the throw. Kuwabara burst out laughing, pointing at the annoyed Yusuke who was sitting back up rubbing his head with a hand.

"Shut up Kuwabara!" Yusuke shouted over at Kuwabara.

Before Kuwabara could make his own retaliation on Yusuke, the door of Genkai's Temple slid open to reveal an annoyed fire demon with a human girl slung over his back, like a bag of potatoes. With a rather annoyed movement, Hiei dumped the girl on the ground as well as a backpack. Kurama rushed over to the girl and gave his own annoyed look at Hiei.

"Hiei, the goal wasn't to harm her," Kurama stated, quickly checking over some vital signs.

"Hn." Hiei crossed his arms, giving Kurama a sour look. "She's unconscious."

He walked over to the door but was stopped by two human's hysterical laughter. "What…are…you…laughing at?" Hiei glared up at them.

Yusuke and Kuwabara point at the front of Hiei's black cloak. Hiei looked down to see a dirty footmark left on there from the girl's only kick that landed on him. Kurama glanced up, only slightly curious.

"Shut up you two," Hiei snapped over at the two human boys before he took his leave.

Yusuke and Kuwabara were still laughing long after the short fire demon had left. Kurama glanced over at the two and carefully picked up the human girl. It seemed other than being unconscious; she had not been harmed severely. Genkai stood up from her spot on the floor and lead Kurama down to the room where she laid down a blanket and a pillow for the girl. Yusuke and Kuwabara finally got over their laughter and wandered down the hall to look into the room, Keiko held Puu as she peeked inside from around the doorway.

"So," Yusuke spoke up, " our mission deals with this girl how?"

"I'm sure we'll find out as we go Yusuke," Kurama answered him.

Yusuke and Kuwabara starred at Kurama in bewilderment. "You don't know?"

Kurama shrugged. "No I don't. But remember the prophecy. 'Seeing but unseen. Listening but unheard. The eyes and ears hold no sign of life. Yet holds the power to destroy or save it. One will save, one with humor, one with normality, one with sense. The choice is her own, but with much interference. Holds the end of the three worlds in the year of two thousand five.' My only guess is we're the ones who help her make that decision along the way."

Yusuke and Kuwabara still starred at Kurama. Kuwabara spoke in awe, "How do you remember all of that Kurama?"

Yusuke's view on this was slightly different however and he threw up his arms in despair. "Great, just great. How are we going to do _another_ mission when not even _Kurama_ knows what the heck the mission _is_?"

With that last question, Yusuke left the room and went down the hall. "Yusuke," Keiko followed behind him with Puu in her arms. "Get back down here."

"Puu."

The group could hear Yusuke's answer as he went toward the entrance of Genkai's, "Would you quit carrying that blue blob around?"

Hearing Keiko sigh, she said, "Not this again Yusuke." This obviously wasn't a new argument among them.

They heard the door slid shut and they couldn't hear anymore of the argument between the two. After a few minutes of silence, Keiko came back into the room where everyone was with one noticeable difference. She no longer held Puu in her arms. A grumbling Yusuke came in some seconds later and sat across the room from Keiko. The reason why he was so angry with her was sitting on the top of his head.

"Puu!"

Yusuke poked the blue creature that sat with its claws dug deep in his jet-black hair. "Shut up you," he grumbled.

So aside from the occasional poke at Yusuke's spirit beast, there wasn't much of any other movement in the room. Genki sipped away at the rest of her cup-a-tea, Kuwabara traced circles on the floor with the tip of his finger, Keiko glared at Yusuke for a while but let out an small smile when he grumbled and poked at Puu, Kurama kept a close eye on the girl laying on the blanket and pillow.

Kurama was carefully placing how the girl looked into his memory. Same girl as before, but she was no longer wearing the red schoolgirl uniform. What she now wore was a dark navy blue oversized sweater with, Kurama noticed, a white tank underneath. A pair of loose but tight sweatpants clung to her legs down to her well-worn scruffy white sneakers. Kurama's eyes were drawn to one of her back pockets. A plain old knife cover was stashed there and Kurama wondered only slightly what had happened to the knife that had to have been there. Bringing his eyes back up to observe her face, he guessed the girl was around his own age (his human age of course), maybe younger. Her light brown hair seemed to have natural highlights going through it, unlike the artificial highlights and lowlights girls at Kurama's school often got. This hair of hers was parted on the top, came down to a loose ponytail on the back of her neck, and trailed off a few inches later with minute curves at the end of the ponytail.

Yusuke slid over toward the girl, tugging at her backpack in mild curiosity. Kurama glanced over at the image of Yusuke pawing through the backpack's belongings with Puu still sitting on top his head.

"Yusuke, it's rather rude to look at one's personal belongings," Kurama spoke up.

Kuwabara looked up at the sound Kurama's voice from tracing circles with his index finger, Genkai glanced upward to look at her dim wit, and Keiko sighed at Yusuke from her side of the room.

Yusuke shrugged his shoulders, pulling out schoolbooks and papers from the girl's backpack. "How are we going to know how she deals with this stupid mission if we have no idea of who she is?"

Considering Yusuke had a small point, Kurama told him, "We'll ask her when she wakes up about her name. Wait…can't do that."

Yusuke looks up from leafing through a trig book. "Why not?"

"She can't see or hear us. 'Seeing but unseen. Listening but not heard. The eyes and ears hold no sign of life'."

"She's blind!" Kuwabara shouted out. "And deaf?"

Kurama nods, "In a way yes."

"Damn…" Yusuke mutters. "Does anyone at your school write their name on the top?"

Kuwabara and Kurama looked startled. "But Urameshi, you never put your name on the top."

"Does it look like I care!" Yusuke snapped back at him.

"Yusuke, be nice," Keiko said.

"Of course we write our name on the top Yusuke, are you having trouble searching through her personal belongings?" Kurama said a bit angrily.

Yusuke grumbled to himself, "Damn papers…too many shiny A's on the top of them…she probably thinks she's so smart…stupid names…stupid mission…why did it have to be a damn puzzle…lets just kick whoever's butts and get it done with…stupid tape…damned be blue faced demon…stupid prophecy…damn stupid mission giving toddler…"

"Hello Yusuke," a voice came from the doorway as Yusuke froze, "I asked you not to call me a toddler anymore."

Yusuke turned from his ponderings over the girls backpack to face the teen form of Koenma. "Ya well, maybe I'd be in a better mood if I got to punch somebody's face in right now."

Koenma looked wearily down at his Spirit Detective, trying to remind himself why he had chosen Yusuke in the first place. "Yes, well," Koenma turned toward Kurama whom would be much easier to deal with.

"Are you all sure this is the girl the prophecy speaks about?" Koenma asked the question.

"Not that we know her name or anything," Yusuke grumbled as he went through more of the girl's backpack.

"Yes, I'm quite sure," Kurama answered. "I have come in contact with her in the past week, as of Hiei himself has as well. He obviously knew from the start whom it was however," Kurama scowled a bit at thinking upon the fire demon.

"She's the one who had Eikichi earlier this week," Kuwabara realized.

"Ya, I ran into her on the way here," Yusuke said pulling out a notebook. "Hey! A diary! Maybe I can find a name in this thing!"

"Yusuke, that's the utmost disrespect for personal space," Kurama said, taking the notebook from Yusuke and placing all the books, papers, and notebook back into the backpack.

"Hey! At least I'm looking for something!"

"How much of this search will be authorized? Personal space is not something just to fly by. We are obviously going to be around this girl for a whole year and I'm sure there will be time to find out her name," Kurama said.

"How long are missions now-a-days?" Yusuke shouted out. "Are we getting to the point were we miss a whole year of our lives?"

No one answered the question but Keiko popped in a small joke, "If you didn't have to be doing Spirit Detective missions, you could be going to school."

Yusuke looked at Keiko oddly, "Fine. I'll do this whole prophecy, save the three worlds thing."

He may not be learning from school, but he is learning at least something from these missions, Keiko thought. "Alright," Koenma speaks up, "I'll have a portal to send you all to Spirit World along with this girl. Keiko, you'll have to stay down here. Where is Hiei anyway?"

"He left," Kurama answered, picking up the unconscious girl from the floor to carry her.

"I didn't really expect him to come anyway. Let's get going, I left Botan in charge while I was gone."

Koenma stepped through the portal outside the temple first, the black air shimmering as he passed through its hazy mist. Yusuke went next, Puu still clutching on top his head. Kurama followed in with the girl, with Kuwabara soon behind him. No one noticed that before the portal closed up, a black shadow moved swiftly behind them and entered it's way into Spirit World.

-

Silverwing013: So glad ya'll read through it...more like one person. But the one person that is reviewing...YEAH! So happy days to ya people until I get to the next chapter. Review if ya love, flame it but give good advice if ya do. I enjoy reading people's opinions.


	4. Mistress?

Silverwing013: yeah, yeah. Yu Yu Hakusho, i think u all can figure out it's not mine...i OWN this story...i OWN the girl...and i OWN shadowland and all of its shadow minions.

* * *

Uh. What a headache, the girl thought miserably. And she thought life was bad enough. Now, to find tree guy's itchy feeling and pay him back. She felt outward around herself, her eyes still closed. She didn't really want to see where she was at this moment. Hum, that's odd. I can feel rude bumped person's itchy feeling…right over there, she thought toward the left side of her. And they're real close too. Stretching out farther, she could sense cat person and nice person nearby, but no tree guy. Pity, she thought ruefully. He's the one who's caused nearly all my problems in the first place. Now to see where in the heck I was taken, she thought opening up her eyes.

And the first thing she saw was a blue…penguin. Sitting in the air above her. She had a sudden urge to kill the overly cute thing and reached for her back pocketknife. There was nothing in the knife cover. Oh yeah, tree guy knocked it from me, she remembered. Glancing around the rest of the room, all she could see was a too white wall with fancy gadgets beeping ominously around her. A hospital, she realized. Yee Gods, I need to find my way out of here as soon as possible. ASAP people. Hum…a door could be seen past the blue thing…and there were two windows if things got desperate if a fight happened between her and the blue thing. But she highly doubted it. The stupid cute blue thing looked like a stuffed kid's toy and didn't look like a hard fight.

The door opened inward. She turned her attention to the doorway, finding that nice and cat person's itchy feelings had entered, along with an unknown one. The unknown one, for some odd reason felt…old. Real old. But then again…young. Like a baby young age. She shook her head at this feeling.

All of these feelings gathered around the bed she was laying upon. I think, she thought oddly, they're starring at me. Remembering earlier, she waited and then mentally shouted…

Yusuke starred down at the unconscious girl, angry at the length of this mission. Puu still sat on the top of his head unfortunately. Kurama was out in the other room talking to Koenma with Kuwabara as Yusuke kept watch over the girl. Right, Yusuke thought, I get to baby sit. No, babysitting is more interesting. Last time I watched over some kid I was killed by a fricken' speeding car. Besides, this girl was…his age maybe? What was so special about her to be chosen anyway? How could a girl be the reason behind destroying the three worlds or saving them?

The girl opened her eyes to look at her surroundings and Yusuke almost sighed in relief. "She's awake!"

He heard footsteps coming down toward the hospital room from his call. The girl started making a grab for her back pocket. Odd, Yusuke thought. The door entered and Yusuke stood up. "She's awake. Now what do we do? Kurama said we can't talk to her."

"We'd need a psychic for that and the closest thing we have to that is Hiei," Kurama said.

Yusuke grumbled, "Where did he go anyway? Always leaving when we need him."

"Um…guys?" Kuwabara spoke up. "I've talked to Yukina telepathically."

"Hey, that's right. Try doing the same for this girl," Yusuke told him in a tone that stated he all too clearly wanted to go home.

"But I don't feel the same about this girl and don't you dare suggest I, the great Kuwabara Kazuma, two time the love of my life," Kuwabara stood up proudly at this statement.

"Back to square one I suppose," Kurama said.

"Well, can I leave then Koenma?" Yusuke turned to the Spirit World Prince angrily.

"Absolutely not," Koenma said. "It's a Friday night and all three of you can manage to watch over her this weekend until school on Monday. We need to figure out this prophecy as quick as we can. Then we can form a plan on how to save the three worlds."

_Quit starring at me already. Tree guy isn't here and I suggest you let me go…**now**._

The group froze, all starring at the girl. Except Kuwabara who was turning to and fro to see who had spoken. "Huh? Who said that?"

"Did anyone else just hear her voice in your heads right now?" Yusuke asked.

"Yeah! Where'd it come from?" Kuwabara said still looking around the room for the source of it.

"I'm pretty sure we all heard it," Koenma answered.

_Hello? _She thought annoyed at the itchy feelings around her. _I'm waiting here. Step away from the bed and let me leave. And I want my weapon back._

_I'm afraid your weapon was already gone when Hiei gave you to us, _Kurama thought spoke first since he was used to Hiei's own kind of thought speech.

_Hiei? Who in the world is this Hiei person? _

_Yeah, how do I talk with my mind? _Yusuke joined in with that question.

_I can hear you just fine rude bumped person. Tuh. I suppose your rude bumped **guy**, _the girl thought at Yusuke.

_Hey, I take offense in that. I was in a hurry and Keiko was yelling at me. Stupid annoying girl doesn't know when to shut up. She's got that tough right hook of hers to worry about and it's not like I have enough to worry about now with this yearlong mission. How long do missions truly have to be anymore? This just sucks all around, _and obviously Yusuke didn't know on how to shut the mind speech off.

_Um, Yusuke? We heard all of that, _Kurama told him.

_You did? Crap! Don't tell Keiko any of that stuff I just said Kurama. Please. She'll think I'd be complimenting her or she'd be offended and I'd be the target of that fist of hers, _Yusuke sounded worried.

_Ha ha. Urameshi, are you really that scared of Keiko? _Kuwabara's voice joined the mental connection.

_Shut up Kuwabara, _Yusuke glared over at the tall teen.

_No. All of you shut up. _The girl looked annoyed at this mindless chatter. There was silence from all of them. _First, who is this Hiei person who gave me to you guys? Is it tree guy that you call Hiei?_

_Hiei is…hard to describe, _Kurama said.

_That doesn't answer my fricken question! Is Hiei tree guy or not?_

_Well, Hiei is a bit of a tree hugger, _Yusuke grinned, even though the girl couldn't see it.

_The runt wouldn't save a tree. He's too cold for that. _This was obviously Kuwabara's voice.

Koenma poked his head into the conversation. _Would you mind answering a few of our questions?_

_Yes I would mind! I'm the one being held hostage here! I think I deserve some answers on why all of you people are invisible, your names and what the heck you want with me, when can I get my knife back cause I'm getting hungry, and that too cute blue thing is first on my to eat list because it's too dang cute for it's own good!_

_That blue thing is my irritating Spirit Beast. I doubt you could kill it, _Yusuke said evenly.

_Really? Doesn't look too hard to kill. Now back to my questions. Who are you and what do you want with me? Am I going to be told the reason why you all are invisible?_

_My name is Kurama, _Kurama stated for her_. And we have a mission that deals with you somehow. A prophecy was held a while ago and Yusuke, Kuwabara, and myself are a part of it. I believe Hiei is as well. You have been prophecitized to either destroy or save all three worlds this year. Somehow we're twined into that._

_So you're nice person and I'm going to destroy the world how? I doubt I have enough power to do something like that._

_We have no idea. It's confusing to all of us, _Kurama explained.

_Yusuke and I've got even a less clue on this than smart fox over there._

_Kuwabara Kazuma. Just call me Kuwabara. Only Yukina can call my by my first name._

_Kazuma, Kazuma, _Yusuke half sang at Kuwabara.

_You're dead Urameshi!_

_Yusuke, Kuwabara. Stop that at once, _Koenma spoke at the two humans in the midst of the start of a fistfight. _I'm Koenma, Prince of Spirit World, one of the worlds you could be killing off._

_Oh. Trying to get me to save it for you aren't you? You're probably a selfish little prince anyway and just want to keep your good life._

_I'm in charge of nearly all of them, _Koenma stated flatly. _It's not a responsibility to take lightly…It would be nice if we had your name…_

_Kiora Anei Shukun. Just call me Kiora if anyone wanted to know that, _she thought sarcastically at Kuwabara mostly. _Now, can I leave?_

_I'm sorry. We really must keep you here so we can have a better idea on the prophecy, _Koenma spoke.

_Funny. Kurama never mentioned your name before. You're not part of this are you?_

Koenma made an odd sound._ Well, no. But you're in Spirit World, or at least a part of it, and won't be getting back to Human World for a while._

_I'll find a way. I'm not stupid. _Kiora sat up and dashed quickly through a gap in the groups' itchy feelings. Several of the group mind shouted at her, but she had already tuned them out. Opening up the door, she ran down the hall past several doors before reaching a large one she could take for the main door. Pulling it open with a bit of difficulty, she faced an even larger hallway. Racing through the empty looking hall, there was a larger door at the end of it that took even longer to pull open.

A little stubby black creature only two feet high awkwardly followed her in her way from the hospital to…well, no one really know how she was going to find the exit. She turned around to face the creature. Its little feet and arms jerking as it stopped. It was pure black and the only distinguishable feature on it was its beady yellow eyes. She couldn't spot a mouth or any other specks on it.

The creature made a swift bow in front of her. "Mistress," it spoke with a hard voice drawling. "We are pleased to meet you after all our time waiting in our marvelous land. It disturbs me to have you run as such. Would you like me to take care of the ones who follow? Or perhaps to find you a honorable trainer from Kasatto's army to form portals to send yourself out of here? Of course the choice on what to do is yours Mistress."

The creature looked up from its bow to look attentively at her. Kiora could hear this creature. She could see it. It could talk to her. No one had talked to her for years, exceptions of the talks in her head. Kiora stuttered at the creature. "Wha-wha-what? Mistress? Who are you?"

"Why Mistress, I am Mekka, the captain my own league of a thousand. We really don't have much time before the ones who follow catch up with you. What do you want me to do?"

"Uh…you're a confusing little creature, but if you can get me out of here, I'm one happy Mistress as you call me," Kiora figured she could dump the weak thing later. It didn't even make her itch.

"How do you wish to get you out of here Mistress?" Mekka spoke quickly.

I really wish it would stop calling me Mistress, Kiora thought. It was starting to get her on edge and instead of letting the thing lead her out, she wanted to kill it. But since she didn't have her knife… "Just lead me to the exit."

The creature paused for a moment. "There is no exit Mistress. There can only be one from here if a portal is formed."

An eyebrow twitched. Mekka had called her Mistress again. Kiora could feel the itching feelings of Kurama, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Koenma getting close to her. She yelled down at the thing and it flinched away from her at her scream, "THEN FORM A PORTAL ALREADY! IF YOU'RE GOING TO HELP, HELP! IF NOT, GET OUT OF MY WAY YOU FREAKY LITTLE CREATURE!"

She ran past the creature but felt something wrap around her feet and she fell with a thud. Looking at her feet she saw what looked like the stem of a rose, but much much longer. It had Kurama's itchy feeling all around it. Instinctively she grabbed her knife cover from her back pocket and brought it down, point first, onto the vine-like stem. There was a faint spark of black and the vine let go. Not bothering to worry about the black spark considering today's events, Kiora dashed down the hall toward the next main door to the hallway. This one looked several stories high and took forever to start budging open. Kiora was just able to peek through the crack when Yusuke and Kuwabara's itchy feelings came close and she could feel their hands around each of her wrists.

She kicked furiously towards the itchy feelings and got contact on Kuwabara, though he didn't let go. She kicked even harder in Kuwabara's direction, making good contact, thinking she felt a crack from her kick. Kuwabara let go and she started kicking at Yusuke who seemed to manage to stay away from her foot every time. She suddenly felt tree person's itchy feeling in the room and the movement from Yusuke stopped, causing a kick of hers to land on him. Where, she had no idea. A familiar movement hit her across the back of her neck from tree person. Dang…him….

* * *

Yusuke looked up at Hiei in surprise, his lack of attention earning him a kick in the shin. "Ow!"

Without saying a greeting to the detective, Hiei stepped forward to the struggling human and knocked her unconscious. "Hn. This is the reason why I enjoy humans to be unconscious and not awake," Hiei said not giving the girl a second look.

"Hiei," Yusuke managed out holding onto the dead weight in his arms, "How'd you get up here?"

"Botan screeched her stupid demon whistle."

Botan bounced into the room cheerfully, "Hi everybody! I brought Hiei here!"

Hiei turned to a corner of the room where a small black creature was muttering angrily under its breath…such words as Mistress and revenge and permission were able to be heard. "What are you?"

The creature raised its head from its mutterings and asked fiercely, "How dare you attack my Mistress? And explain at once on how you can see me!"

"Hey runt, who ya yapping to?" Kuwabara asked bewildered. Yusuke and Kurama nodded as well in agreement. None of them could see the creature.

"The stubby little black creature oaf."

"I am Mekka of the Shadow Minions! How dare you patronize me! I want your name at once short fire demon!"

"Hn. Why should I give out my name to you?"

"Very well then, you will pay for attacking my Mistress," Mekko charged forward at Hiei, reaching out with one little arm to touch Hiei's hand that was reaching for his sword.

The group around him starred in confusion as Hiei froze in that position stiffly and Mekka made an exit, not seen by any of the others eyes.

* * *

Silverwing013: Yeap! to all the ppl whom read this...hope ya enjoy Anyway, some of u already know about my band trip...which is one wednesday so I'm trying to do some chappies before i leave. me a busy girl.

Niana Kuonji- nothing for the headache and no paper. darn it. good thing she never made it out of there though...they still have her backpack with the diary notebook in there Hope u enjoy the cookies from my other story!

Danieru Lee- glad to know u like where this is going. hum, two reviews...am i really that lucky? yeah, i am...u don't review on anything much. cya on the band trippy!


	5. Invisible

Silverwing013: Greetings with another chappie of Shadowland Blind. More confusion heading your way with thanks to me. Yu Yu Hakusho is not mine (no duh, I wish).

* * *

Everyone in the vicinity starred as Hiei froze and his body slowly faded from all senses.

Long pause.

"Where'd th' runt go?" Kuwabara yelled out, looking around the room for an answer.

"Did anyone understand what Hiei was talking about or anything?" Yusuke asked, less than cautiously sticking his hands out in the area where Hiei last stood. He didn't feel Hiei anywhere.

"He's…not here." Kurama glanced around in questioning. His ears could pick up no movement of Hiei, his eyes told him that Hiei was no longer there, no one could touch the fire demon, smell senses told him that Hiei was never even in the room but that couldn't be right. To top it all off, Kurama couldn't even pick up Hiei's spirit energy anywhere. This, is not good, he thought.

"Jorge!" Koenma snapped out the command. "Go down and have the computer do a search on Hiei's spirit energy!"

"Yes sir!" Jorge said before sprinting down the opposite hallway.

"Kurama, please carry the girl back down to the hospital area we had her in. And make sure you lock the door," Koenma instructed. "Yusuke and Kuwabara, watch the door. We don't need her to try escaping again."

Kurama nodded and moved his hands to automatically put away his rose whip and found that his rose whip was shrinking away. "What the…?" He watched as the whip shortened in his hands. The shrinking slowly reached up toward his hand and he his rose whip was completely gone. Fingertips could still feel the rose whip even though his eyes could not see it. And soon enough, a new feeling entered his fingers. They started becoming heavy, tingling like they would if his feet had fallen asleep. But this tingling was ten times worse and he could feel loud high pitched rings in his head.

Suddenly he realized that his fingers were fading from view! He couldn't see the ends of his fingers and whatever it was, was traveling farther up his hand, causing it to slowly fade from view. Kurama quickly let go of his rose whip that he could no longer see anyway and the fading of his hand stopped.

His whole hand was now faded. "Kurama! Whow! What happened to your hand?" Yusuke shouted out.

Kurama looked at his stumped arm in wonder, holding it up to his eyes. "I don't know…."

The heavy feeling Kurama could still feel in his fingers, along with the tingling. Most annoyingly, the high pitched ringing in his head was still there. Raising up his other hand, he passed the still seen hand through the non-seen one and found it passed right through the other. "I just hope this wears off," Kurama muttered under his breath.

"Change of plans then," Koenma said starring at Kurama's hand. "Yusuke, carry the girl down to the hospital. Kurama, you head down to the hospital area as well and have them look at your hand. Kuwabara, you still keep watch."

Several minutes later found the instructions of Koenma's played out. Kurama's hand was being looked over by a nurse in one room of the hospital area. Kiora, the prophecy girl, was in the same hospital room as before with Kuwabara and Yusuke outside the door. Botan had tried blowing the whistle that got Hiei up there in the first place but had no results. Giving up that idea, she headed down to the hospital area where Kurama was being looked at as Koenma watched and listened to the nurse.

And Jorge? He was seen racing down the halls, pushing his way past the other ogres, with a stream of papers flapping along behind him.

"Koenma!"

Koenma looked up from Kurama's mite little check up. (AN sarcastic, yes) "Did you find Hiei's energy Jorge?"

"N-N-No sir."

"Not even a trace of his spirit energy?" Koenma asked anxiously.

"Well, there were three traces of it," Jorge held up the papers. "I followed the traces and printed these off for you sir."

Koenma took the long stream of papers from Jorge, scanning the words and graphs. "Interesting…."

"What's interesting about the traces Koenma?" Kurama asked over the nurse's shoulder.

"The first tracing that is here, gives the coordinates of that girl's body. Kiora, was her name? But then the second one on here, the coordinates lead to yet another person's body. Asato Kido," Koenma puzzled over the papers again.

"Kido…. He was one of the three to kidnap Yusuke. Wasn't he only able to do that by touching Yusuke's shadow? That is if I remember right."

Koenma looked up from the papers at Kurama. "Odd of you to mention the shadow part. The third tracing gave coordinates we haven't seen for a while up here. Shadowland. And odder yet, it's the area where most of the traces were found."

"Shadowland?" Botan interrupted. "I think I've heard stories of that."

"Shadowland…. I've never heard anything about it," Kurama said and then wincing as the nurse poked at the stub of his arm.

"I might as well tell the story when all of you are in here so I don't need to repeat it," Koenma spoke. "But that might prove hard if we can't manage to find Hiei."

There was a knock at the door and Yusuke walked in without waiting for an answer. "Hey, Koenma. She's awake again."

"Well then, keep the room locked and keep watch."

Yusuke scratched the back of his head, the action looking slightly moronic. "Um…bit late for that…?"

"What!" Koenma exploded. "Why didn't you follow her? Where did she go?"

"It's kinda hard to follow some girl that just vanished from view," Yusuke said as Koenma ran past him to the girl's quarters.

"Vanished?" Kurama asked questionably. "As in like Hiei and my rose whip and hand, vanished? Fading from view?"

Yusuke snapped his fingers, "Yeah, that's it! Faded!"

"Then there is a chance she's still in that room Yusuke. Even though I can't feel or see my hand, I can _feel_ it there. Watch."

Kurama lifted his stubbed arm over to the table and with invisible fingers, picked up a pen. Yusuke's eyes widened as they watched the pen float above Kurama's arm. "Okay…put that down. That's just freaky."

Kurama complied and the floating pen drifted back down onto the table. "There's still a chance she's in that room. Did you shut and lock the door when you left?"

Yusuke's eyes widened. "…No…."

The two took off down the hall together to the last room in the hallway, spotting Koenma and Botan already there looking at something outside the door. Kuwabara was slumped in the open doorway, swirls in his eyes, a note tapped off to the side of his nose.

'I demand that you people let me go. I know the only thing out of this Spirit World place is a portal. I want a portal out of here. I would ask the black freak, Mekka, but he's no longer here. Koenma, you're obviously in charge around here, so I demand a portal from you or I'll use my prophecy against you and destroy all three worlds. I don't know how, but I will. Love ya! Kiora.'

"Where do ya think she went?" Botan looked anxiously at Koenma.

"She can't get out of Spirit World without a portal or a guide, she's still in here somewhere. Botan, why don't you head down with Jorge to the computer to find her Spirit Energy?"

"Sure!" She replied brightly, skipping down the hallway and out the door.

"Koenma, if she faded like Yusuke said, then you'll probably find her Spirit Energy the same place where Hiei's is," Kurama said. "And my hand," he added in afterthought, looking at it.

A few minutes later, Botan and Jorge reappeared proving Kurama's theory true.

"Shadowland…." Koenma tapped the top of the papers muttering to himself.

"Hey! What's this Shadowland?" Yusuke shouted at the toddler sized ruler.

Botan nodded energetically. "Yes, what is it? I've heard a few stories, but nothing matches with the different stories about it! Imagine that!"

Koenma sighed. "I suppose Hiei won't be coming back anytime soon and if he does, you guys can just pass the story along to him. And now I shall tell the Shadowland Legend."

* * *

Kiora woke up once again from Hiei's blow to her neck, not moving from her position. Please, oh please god, tell me I am not still in this place, she thought desperately. Her eyes opened to white surroundings once again with all gizmos attached. She groaned. Feeling around for familiar people, she recognized rude bumped guy and cat guy. Why are they all guys, she wondered for a moment. Lets see, they went by Yusuke and Kuwabara….

'_Hey! Yusuke and Kuwabara let me out of here at once! I'll escape again, I swear to it!'_

'_Nope, we gotta keep watch while some nurse looks at what happened to Kurama's hand and Koenma has people running around looking for Hiei's spirit energy since we can't sense him by any other way.'_

'_Yah, Shrimpy disappeared like that! That runt just went 'poof!'!'_

Kiora got up from her bed and pounded her fists on the door as hard as she could in her temper. _'DOES…IT…LOOK…LIKE…I…CARE!'_

'_That's not going to help. I locked it with my spirit energy. Small trick from Kurama. You're not going to get out of there if your life depended on it.'_

'_Argh!' _She gave a final pound on the white door before giving up.

Yusuke and Kuwabara watched her temper on the door from outside the room in fascination. "Man, she sure has a temper."

Yusuke nodded as both of their heads followed her pace in front of the door.

God, they are so frustrating, Kiora thought angrily, pacing the room. I want out of this place darnnit! I'm only here on that Koenma's orders and no one orders me around but my mother! And she hasn't been around since the day I lost sight to people. I really wanna leave and find her with this itchy feeling thing, but nooooooooo. I have to stay in this white hole!

Her temper flared again and she took angry steps over to the door, giving it a solid kick, unknowingly startling the two human boys outside the door watching her. _'I'M GETTING OUT NO MATTER WHAT! DO YOU HEAR ME?' _

Yusuke and Kuwabara winced at the tones from her mental voice. But, like before, she didn't notice. I'm getting out, no matter what, she repeated to herself and found her hand spark up another black spark. Her body felt slightly heavier and she shook her head to rid herself of the feeling.

The door clicked open and her head turned at the noise. Why would they open the door, she wondered. But she didn't bother to talk to them her usual way and kept quiet, praying their itchy feelings would move away from the door. This time her prayers were answered. Thank you god, she thought, as she left the room.

Yusuke's itchy feeling ran past her, heading towards Koenma's and Kurama's feelings, while Kuwabara's stayed behind in the room. Okay, I need something to grab their attention when they come back to this room, Kiora thought. She grinned evilly as she came up with a plan. If they hold me hostage, this is just about as violent.

Several minutes later, she left her gift by the doorway. "So you're not such a weak human after all," came a gruff statement from behind her when she almost mad it down the hallway. She whipped around at the sound and saw a short male propped up against the wall with his sword's sheath. Using the sheath as a cane, he pulled himself up to stand in front of her. His black hair whooshed up from a white bandana wrapped around his forehead, a white starburst in the middle. Long dark black clothes hung from his frame, with the complete black booted feet at the bottom. I…can…see…him…? Kiora thought bewilderedly. Quickly searching for his itchy feeling, she found it was tree per—Hiei's itchy feeling.

"Considering you couldn't see what you were fighting against, that wasn't bad. Of course it was only the big oaf anyway," Hiei shrugged his shoulders.

"That was an insult! Do you think you could have done better?" Kiora shouted at him and then lowered her tone. "Uh…why can I see and hear you?"

Hiei turned away from her and walked the rest of the way down the hall. "I really don't know. I could much less care about why you can hear or see me now, except for the fact that you no longer talk to me in my head."

"Hey…I take insult to that," Kiora told his back. Frowning for a moment, she grinned again as she concentrated on Hiei's itchy feeling. _'Hi Hiei, Hiei, Hiei, Hiei, Hiei, Hi—'_

'_Ah! Shut up and get out of my head girl!'_

'_What if I don't?'_

'_Then I'll give you a beating ten times worse than the one you threw on Kuwabaka.'_

'_Kuwa-baka? I won't wonder about that one. And how could you beat me up? What are you, a big macho guy who thinks he has strength?'_

'_I know I have strength,' _Hiei remarked stoutly.

Hiei turned his head into a room and grinned, walking in. "Hey fox face. Bet you aren't liking this one bit, are you?" He waved his hand a bit in front of what Kiora recognized as Kurama's itchy feeling. She also recognized a floating hand in the middle of nowhere. Okay, she thought, don't wonder about that. Worry about your escape and portal finding.

"Can't he see us?" Kiora asked Hiei.

"No one so far has seen me. I'd like to know what in the heck that little stubby 'shadow minion' did to me," Hiei walked out of the room, moments later, two familiar itchy feelings ran out of the room to the other room where Kiora was at.

Kiora looked up as Hiei pushed open the door with a sudden thought, "Hey, you can hear and see them, can't you?"

"Hn?" He looked back at her through the doorway, "yeah."

"They saying anything about my 'gift' yet?" She asked him before he walked through the doorway. Of course she wanted to know if Koenma would agree to let her have a portal out of here.

He smirked at her and left. She ran after him through the doorway, "Hey, where are you going?"

His only retort was the infamous 'hn' that she would soon get to know.

"Fine then, I'll follow you around. I'm sure you know a way out of this Spirit World place and I want directions."

* * *

Silverwing013: Yeap! Took a while but I got around to this one again. Sure sorry if anyone wanted a quicker update, but when I get around to it, I get around to it. Sorry.

Niana Kuonji- Always enjoy the reviews ya give me! She didn't freeze him…it was the Mekka dude. She was unconscious when some of this happened.

HieiFan666- Mekka didn't quite freeze Hiei. Yeah…Hiei could see it. Weird, eh? People around this area say I do come up with weird ideas. I say it's my imagination. Take your pick. Update was slow…I can promise to work on my stories, but I can't always promise how soon they get up. I just didn't feel like it until the urge of writing this story came back.

Silverwing013: So anyway, the story continues. Kurama's hand, Hiei's disappearence, Kiora's disappearence, and oh yeah, Kurama's rose whip, have all faded from a normal person's view. More wonders on where the tracings of Hiei were found. Shadowland? I guess no one knows what or where this place is. And his spirit energy was also found in Kiora and Asato Kido?


	6. Storylines

Silverwing013: Disclaimer. Um, no duh' the Yu Yu Hakusho cast is not mine. I think we all know that one.

* * *

"The Shadowland Legend," Koenma repeated, "is an interesting tale. Few things are known about it really. Many rumors about it have been spoken, but I only say the facts I know."

"Shadowland is in fact a place. Whether it is another dimension from our own or simply another world is unknown. It was created by a Goddess that is wished upon to have never to exist. Now I can't remember her name off the top of my head and I've heard several versions on her name, so I can't say for sure which one is her real name. For her own reasons, Shadowland was created along with what she called her 'shadow minions'. No one has actually seen them before, so I can not give you an accurate description on what to look out for if you 'see' one."

"Shadowland in itself was powerful. Many intelligent, strong, strategic fighters and detectives entered if they were allowed by the Shadow Goddess. Once she allowed them in, they never came back out. Even though her 'shadow minions' had not attacked anywhere else as far as well could tell, it was a danger worth looking into."

Koenma sighed and rubbed his forehead with two fingers. "A surprising fighter that none of the Spirit World expected to join their cause, stepped into Shadowland. He only went by one name and no, I don't remember it. I'll look that up later but it doesn't matter in the story. After he stepped into Shadowland, it was no more."

"The Shadow Goddess's soul disappeared and her body suddenly appeared in Spirit World but was mutilated so badly as so she could not return to it. The fighter never returned but Shadowland faded away. None of the 'shadow minions' attacked anywhere, no more fighters were pulled into Shadowland to disappear, nothing happened."

"And for it to return now after all these centuries…" Koenma glanced down at his stack of papers.

"You said that anyone who was let in there never returned," Kurama spoke up.

"Yes. So with finding most of Hiei's spirit energy in Shadowland…" Koenma shook his head. "…And also Kiora's energy…chances are that they won't return."

"Shrimpy ain't comin' back?" Kuwabara asked, now no longer unconscious.

"The chances are pointing there," Koenma answered.

Kurama starred at his invisible hand. Never…coming back…? How would he explain his hand to his human mother? Soon after wondering that, he almost laughed. It was the least of their problems now.

* * *

Glancing back at the girl, Hiei muttered to himself, "Leave human."

Of course, she was high up in the arena poking around the seats and couldn't hear him. Something up there had fascinated her and he wasn't willing to distract her from it so she could bug him on how to get out of Spirit World. He gripped his sword a bit tighter and swung down another set of strikes of practice.

"HA!"

Hiei took a quick glance at the girl up in the stands of the arena to see her start running down one of the row of seats.

"GET BACK HERE MEKKA, YOU COWARD! YOU SAID THERE WAS A WAY OUT OF HERE! WELL, I WANT OUT! COME BACK HERE!"

Mekka! Hiei sheathed his sword and rushed up to the arena stands in front of her.

"Gah! Don't do that!" She tried to skid to a halt but fell on her butt in front of Hiei. Standing up quickly, she glanced around the fire demon. "Dang it! You made me loose my ticket out of here!"

Hiei looked crossly at her. "Did you say the name Mekka?"

"As in the ugly, squat, little black creature, who's my only hope out of here that just got away from me? Yes, I did!"

"I see," Hiei spoke turning to face the way she was running a while ago, flicking his eyes around the arena seats searching for Mekka. Finding nothing, he turned back to the human girl behind him, who was suddenly 'ooh'ing over her hand.

Her hand was glowing black.

"Let me see…" she muttered. "If the stubby black thing wants to call me Mistress all the time and my hand glows black like this when I need it too…what in the world does it mean!"

She continued talking to herself, walking down the row of seats. "I have questions and you have answers Mekka…so if you want to keep good in your 'Mistress's' eyes, you better—huh?"

On the word Mekka, Mekka appeared in front of her. Glaring at Hiei behind her, Mekka bowed stiffly, grumbling out, "You summoned me Mistress?"

"…I guess I did. Listen up Mekka. I want to know why you call me Mistress, why I can see and hear you, and how to get out of Spirit World."

"The last one you will have to ask Kasatto or one of his people for. The others I think I can answer."

"Kasatto?" Kiora questioned and another shadow minion popped up right next to Mekka, delivering a swift bow to her.

"Mistress, how are you?"

"Bloody not fine as the Britishman would say it," she blinked at the next shadow minion's entrance. "How'd you get here?"

Kasatto's own dark violet eyes flickered to Kiora's hand, she looked down at it, soon as she did, the blackness around it disappeared. "I'd say you called through via shadow portal."

My life just plain sucked before and now it sucks even more, she thought. Shadow portal, do I even know what the heck it is? In fact, do I know anything that's going on around me? I want a normal life, she mentally whined. Is that not possible for me?

Hiei's sword suddenly appeared at what one would assume was Mekka's throat. His voice spoke from beside Kiora as she glanced around for him.

"Mekka. What did you do to me?"

Mekka immediately jumped up and down at the sight of Hiei. A stubby finger of Mekka's pointed at a scowling fire demon. "That's him Kasatto! That's him! He can see us! No one but Mistress can see us! That's him! It's him!"

Kasatto's dark violet eyes sparkled with laughter, "Of course, you touched him with your own shadow power Mekka! Anyone could see us after us using a shadow power on them! What did you use your own shadow power for anyway?"

"He insulted me! He saw me even before I touched him!"

"I'm sure it was nothing Mekka. You must have been paranoid from all those years down in Shadowland."

Mekka grumbled threateningly at his feet. "Kasatto…"

Kiora waved a hand at the two. "Stop bickering. I wanted my answers."

Mekka glared over in Hiei's direction. "Mistress, are you sure **_he_** can be trusted?"

Kiora looked back at Hiei. "Oh sure. He's part of the prophecy after all!"

"Prophecy?" Kasatto asked, glancing back at the glaring Hiei.

"Well," Kiora said scratching her head, "That's how Kurama put it anyway. That he, Kuwabara, Yusuke, and him are in some prophecy with me."

Kasatto cocked a head up at Kiora. "Tell us this prophecy and I will share the information to your questions."

"…I don't know the prophecy exactly word for word," Kiora scratched the back of her head. "Kurama never did say the whole thing."

"Of course he wouldn't. He was searching answers from you and keeping all the information could be an excellent way to find out more information about you," Hiei said folding his arms across his chest.

Kiora rushed over to Hiei, finding he could very well hold the key to unlock all her confusion about this. "Hey, you know about the prophecy! Tell us it!"

"And cause the fox to loose his one of his bargaining chips…?" Hiei pondered over it.

She starred at him thinking. "Wait a minute…you mean you guys are keeping other information from me?"

Hiei smirked at the frustrated human girl.

"Don't you want to know how not to be invisible? We need their information to do that Hiei. And for the information…" she drifted off the sentence, knowing she had him there.

Hiei grumped and closed his eyes.

'_Hey Kurama?'_

'_Hiei! Where are you? Everyone's worried about you.'_

'…_hn…I'm in the arena with the girl. But that's not the point. The shadow minion who did this to me has a 'friend' and if we want information on how to undo whatever Mekka did, we need to tell them the prophecy.'_

'…'

'…_I know you remember it word for word fox.'_

'_Shadow Minions? From Shadowland?'_

'_Yes, yes. Information. Don't try getting away from the point.'_

'_If I agree to it, will you guys fix my hand. I don't know how my mother will take me missing a hand.'_

'_Who cares about your human mother? Wait, your hand?'_

'_I'm guessing the same thing happened to my hand as you.'_

"Would you two be willing to also help out someone else if we give you the prophecy?"

Kasatto sighed. "Did Mekka touch something else?"

"Kurama's hand."

"Ooooo.That's why the Thing is floating around him," Kiora said in understandment.

"…Thing?" Hiei questioned.

"Addams Family movies I watched with my mom when I could still see her."

"Hn. Human movies. Pathetic."

Kasatto looked between the two. "What's your name?" He asked Hiei slowly.

"No. Prophecy and then your information. We'll keep it to your word," Hiei raised his sword at the shadow minion threatenly.

"Very well. We'll fix this Kurama's hand as well."

'_Kurama. They agree.'_

'_Good. We're down where we had Kiora. Wait, you weren't there when we gave her room. Hospital area, room 36. Not that far from the door.'_

'_I know where she was. How's the oaf doing with those injures she gave him?'_

'_Hiei… You didn't stop her?'_

'…_hn. No.'_

'_Why?'_

'_You're moving away from the subject again,' _Hiei smirked.

"Seeing but unseen. Listening but unheard. The eyes and ears hold no sign of life. Yet holds the power to destroy or save it. One will save, one with humor, one with normality, one with sense. The choice is her own, but with much interference. Holds the end of the three worlds in the year of two thousand five."

"So that's my prophecy?" Kiora asked. "Gezz. That isn't such a big deal. Except what power to destroy it do I have?"

Kasatto and Mekka blinked up at her in unison. "You're the Mistress! The Shadowland Mistress! Overall ruler!"

Kiora looked down at Mekka's outburst and he lowered his head from her glare. "Take me for stupid right now and spell out what that means Mekka."

"Tuh'! Human's _are_ stupid," Hiei's voice cut in.

"I'M NOT STUPID! I JUST NEED IT EXPLAINED TO ME!"

Hiei grinned which infuriated her more. She made wide smacks toward him with her hands although they all missed target with him sliding out of the way. "YOU THINK YOU'RE SO SMART TREE BOY! THEN DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON?"

She stopped and glared at him, hands on her hips. Whirling on her heel, she turned back to the shadow minions. "So, tell me how I'm your Mistress?"

Kasatto stepped toward her. "Of course. At the beginning of all time, the most powerful Shadow Goddess created Shadowland. Shadowland is another world outside of the other three worlds that are widely known. Shadow Minions, that would be like Mekka and myself, were placed inside it. Each of us has our own shadow power and each captain has his league of a thousand or more. You are our Mistress for several reasons. One, can not see or hear any other people. That is unless they are touched by a shadow minion. Don't worry. Once reversed, you won't see him again. Two, our Mistress has all shadow powers of the shadow minions. It is after all how you summoned myself and made yourself disappear from the ones around you. We will teach you how to use them properly later. Three, natural ability with a sword. One of my leagues spotted you earlier this week with a sword. He gives you praise on how well you could wield that sword."

"um…okay. So can you teach me how to get out of Spirit World?"

Kasatto looked at her with what seemed a smile. "After we help out this demon and Kurama."

"Demon?" Kiora glanced at Hiei.

"Yes. Demon from Demon World. What are you doing up in Spirit World anyway?"

Hiei turned away from the shadow minion in anger, "Parole."

"Mekka?" Kasatto looked at the yellow-eyed shadow minion. "If you would."

Mekka glared up at Hiei in obvious disgust, but reached up to touch Hiei's arm despite any of his feelings. Kiora watched as Hiei froze and faded from her own view. I guess it's no more seeing someone again, she thought.

"Sigh. I don't really want to go back," Kiora frowned. "Heck, they're never going to show me the way out of Spirit World."

"I'll be back later to teach you then," Kasatto told her. "Just a small wait for you Mistress."

Looking down at Kasatto, Kiora slowly nodded an affirmative. Looking back down at her hand…nothing happened. "Um…a little help then?"

Mekka stepped forward and gave her hand a touch. Giving her head a shake to get used to the feeling of lost weight, she started strolling toward the arena door.

"Mistress? May I suggest a faster way of travel?" Kasatto looked upwards at her. She was startled to suddenly realize that Kasatto was taller than Mekka by some inches. Storing this information, she nodded at Kasatto.

Kiora turned her attention at Hiei's itchy feeling. _'You coming along tree guy?'_

'_Hn.'_

With that, Hiei's itchy feeling raced out of the room at an impossible speed. She shook her head at him. Speed demon, she thought. (AN demon…speedy…got it? Okay, my puns are stupid)

Kasatto gripped a stubby hand onto hers; the feeling of it in her palm felt familiar and relaxed her slightly. His other hand grabbed onto Mekka's stubby hand and the blackness overtook them for a few short seconds.

* * *

Silverwing013: Shessh! This one came to me quickly! Don't ever expect me to do that all the time though. I had it in my head, wouldn't go away, so I got busy and typed all that I could. Long chappie for this story though. Holy God! Don't expect me to do a chappie this soon again!

okamigirl13- original, thanks. The ideas just pop in my head, there's nothing I can do about it. Why is Hiei connected? All answered in time…in due time.

HieiFan666- You seemed rather upset about Kurama. I thought you would worry about Hiei. Kurama's hand…I was going for a Thing impression. And plus Kurama, the smart one, needed to have some body part to disappear so the others knew that Kiora left her room and was still around somewhere. Plus, then they know Hiei is around as well.

Niana Kuonji- Glad to know fanfiction is working for ya! So A) thank you. B) Yes, she can see the people that have been 'touched'. So glad. Ur the only one who got the Thing idea! C) It didn't take Hiei long, did it? Of course their traded info may lead to bad directions…won't say anymore now.

Kokoro Sabishii- Even though you reviewed on chappie one, I'll still stick ya in here with the other chappie 5 reviewers. Stole Hiei's tree…It'll come back to haunt them. Glad ya like Kiora.

King Uncle Kenny the 13th- do like ur name. Of course you stole my number…but I like ur name. And how did I save your life?

Silverwing013: Questions still need to be answered on those tracings…but I solved one of them. Hiei is back to normal, along with Kiora (if you can ever call her normal with this). Mekka doesn't like Hiei much, does he? In a few chappies, training her 'powers' should come along though.


	7. Watch

Silverwing013: Disclaimer. Short. Not mine. Ideas, yes, they are. Fanfic, certainly. Crazy…to be determined. Okay, forget that. The story is what you guys want.

* * *

The door to the room was pushed up and Kuwabara jumped to his feet from sitting around with Yusuke in there for an hour on end.

"SHRIMPY! What do you know? He's alive!"

"Hn. Quiet fool. I was in no danger."

Kuwabara mocked him playfully; glad to know that Hiei was back and alive. "I was in no danger," he mimicked before dropping the voice. "He talks like he just went out for a minute, when he was down in this danger zone no one has come back from."

"Hiei!" Yusuke greeted, rushing over. "How'd you get back from that Shadowland place?"

Hiei looked over at Yusuke, regarding him quietly. "I was never in Shadowland. This is why I don't like humans. Sentimental creatures."

He turned around to leave the room, running into Kurama as he entered. "Hello Hiei. Where's Kiora?"

"Kiora," Hiei muttered to himself. "Hn. Her shadow minions are bringing her."

"Shadow minions? Hiei that wasn't very wise. They're from Shadowland and don't have a very good reputation."

"You left her with shadow minions?" Koenma's voice shrilled from next to Kurama.

"Yes," Hiei snapped out. "As much as I distrust that Mekka, he's extremely loyal."

Hiei starred at Koenma and Kurama impassively. "Move."

"No," Koenma's voice shrilled even a tad bit higher. "We need answers about what is happening!"

Hiei grinded his teeth together. "Then ask that human."

Maneuvering himself past the two blocking the door, he headed off.

"Friendly as ever," Yusuke muttered sarcastically after Hiei's leave.

'_Hi everyone! Koenma, can you grant my request?'_ Kiora's voice ripped through their heads.

'_How'd you get in here without us noticing,'_ Yusuke asked, turning around to see Kiora behind him.

_'The same way I plan to leave here. Except when I leave I won't do it with anyone else's help.'_

'_Erm…Did that make any sense to anyone?'_ Kuwabara asked.

'_Kiora,'_ Kurama came into the talk. _'Any way you want to explain what is happening? And why Hiei left you with Shadow Minions from Shadowland?'_

'_Oh yeah! How's Mr. Thing doing?'_

'_Um…Mr. Thing?' _Kurama asked her confused.

Kiora picked up Kurama's invisible hand. '_Your hand looks like Thing. It's the only body part I can see in this room. Well, besides Mekka and Kasatto. But they don't count.'_

'_Kiora, stop talking this nonsense. We need the facts.' _Koenma spoke.

'_I don't hand out facts just like that. I need them for…**bargaining chips**,'_ Kiora stressed the last two words.

'…_Erm, sorry about that. It's usually a good way to get some information out for missions,'_ Kurama spoke apologetically.

'_Well, I'm not giving out any information until I get the information you've all been hiding. And you're not going to give me information until I give you information,'_ Kiora smiled benignly. _'And we can all figure that's not going to work. I'm heading to my room until I get my information.'_

Kiora started out the door. _'Oh, and part of that information includes Mr. Thing his hand back. Good night! You know I love you guys!'_

She gave a cheery wave and left the room. "She's not taking it seriously," Koenma muttered out loud. "Yusuke, follow her to her room so she doesn't escape again. Watch her this time and don't unlock the door."

"Right. I'll be right on that," Yusuke rolled his eyes. "I hate this mission."

After Yusuke left, Koenma sighed and headed over to his desk. "One out of fifty-two weeks over. Only a week into this mission and already Yusuke and Hiei are sick of it," Koenma sighed again.

"If I may ask," Kurama interrupted Koenma's worries. "Who will watch Kiora when we are in school? Hiei is the only one of us whom doesn't need to worry about that...but I don't know if he'd agree."

"He can watch her during school hours and be allowed not to the remainder of her time up here," Koenma said. "I don't know how he'd handle that though."

"Actually, I was going to suggest that she have her class schedule changed to my own. That way, I could watch her and we won't have to worry."

"Hmmm," Koenma pondered. "I'll ask Hiei about it and then we'll see about that second option. Kuwabara, would you take over for Yusuke in a couple of hours?"

"Yeah," Kuwabara's voice scratched out. "I've gotta call Shizuru though. Man, I bet she'll be pissed about me not coming back home. It's already morning."

"There's a phone in each yours, Yusuke, and Kurama's rooms that can be used to contact the Human World," Koenma informed them.

"Thank you," Kurama said as he and Kuwabara left Koenma's office. "Man, Shizuru's gunna kill me," was the comment as the door slammed shut. A few minutes later, Koenma left as well, unable to concentrate on the official papers.

* * *

In the shadows, a figure smirked as Koenma left, entering the room unwatched. Busy fingers contended themselves on Koenma's computer for many minutes, nearing reaching the hour mark. Standing up, the figure double checked the door, an unnecessary measure at this early in the morning. Peering over at the wall panels, fingers pried open a panel to revel a long dark hallway. The figure disappeared, shutting the panel so that no one would know if they walked by. The clock on Koenma's wall ticked by from two in the morning, slowly ticking. During the figure's time in the secret passage, Botan cheerily bounced inside the room to grab a stack of papers on the desk. (Probably for Koenma or the new deaths for tomorrow) Just nearly as cheerily, she bounced out not noticing any presence that anyone else had been in the room. The clock continued ticking by, slowly passing the time in the room as our audience waits for the mysterious figure. The time 3:14 showed on the clock when the same wall panel was pushed open and shut, reveling our unknown character once again before the figure dashed out of the room.

And red eyes gleamed.

* * *

Kurama walked down the hallway from his watch shift after Kuwabara's. His wristwatch read five in the morning and the girl had slept the entire time. He stifled a bored yawn as he reached a black door, knocking on it sharply.

"Hiei? You awake?"

Silence and then...an answer. "...hn."

Kurama pushed open the door to revel Hiei's room, most of it black, and Hiei sat in his meditating stance with his sword beside him. "Your turn to watch the girl. Don't worry, she's sleeping," He added knowing Hiei had already knocked her out a couple of times when awake. "And Koenma wants to ask you something."

"Hn," Hiei replied once again.

Kurama raised an eyebrow at Hiei. "It's not like you were sleeping anyway."

Hiei's eyebrow twitched irritably. "...hn." Pause. "You're not going to leave me alone, are you?"

Kurama inspected his visible hand before giving an answer. "No." Hiei opened his eyes and stood up walking over to the door.

"Stubborn fox. But just for reference, what is that stupid human's name?"

Kurama smiled down at Hiei. "Care about her, do you? I can give you her name," Kurama noticed Hiei's glare from his question, "or perhaps you don't want it now."

"Hn," Hiei muttered, stalking down the hallway.

Kurama sighed. Never a straight answer, he thought. "Just for reference, her name is Kiora Anei Shukun. Why doyou want to know?"

Hiei froze mildly on the name and turned around to face Kurama, emotions hidden. "For reference Kurama." Then he snapped around again, to continue you walk down the hall.

He forgot **_just_**_ for reference_, Kurama thought. A smile formed at the corner of his mouth as Kurama turned in the other direction down the hallway for his room. "Act like you don't care Hiei," and the red door snapped shut quietly.

* * *

"Hiei."

"Hn," he entered the room nonetheless, a quick glance proved Kurama right. She was asleep.

Koenma stood before Hiei. "I must ask you. Watching her during school hours will prove difficult for the others. So,--"

"You want me to watch the human," Hiei spat out.

Koenma nodded. "Of course, after tonight it'll be the only time I ask you to watch her. Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara should be able to fill in otherwise."

Hiei stood there silently and Koenma's hands fidgeted. I hate parole, Hiei growled in his head, but I must act 'normal'. "Fine," he snapped. "I'll watch the weak human girl."

"You will?" Koenma asked surprised. He had expected this to take longer since Kurama wasn't in the room to sway Hiei's mind.

"Only then," Hiei said in response. "I'm not watching the human now."

Koenma blinked. "I'll go grab Yusuke for another shift then, keep an eye on her until I get back."

Hiei glowered as Koenma left. "This worked out easier than expected. He must be getting 'soft'," Koenma muttered.

* * *

Kiora opened her eyes, stretching her arms in a yawn. Sitting up in the bed, she found she could sense that Yusuke person's itchy feeling. After searching for itchy feelings frequently yesterday, she found they were getting easier to spot.

_'Hey rude guy. Where do I eat around here? And the bathroom?' _

_'About time you woke up. I'm starving.' _

_'You could have left for some food,' _she suggested.

_'I'm not that stupid. Why would I leave you alone in an unwatched room? I'll lead you to the bathroom first. You stink.' _

_'Hey! Not my fault I fell! That was tree boy's fault!' _

_'Yeah, yeah, yeah. Shut up,_' Yusuke grabbed her wrist and pulled her down the hallway, around the corner, then stopped. The door in front of them was pushed open by invisible means for Kiora.

_'Go get your beauty shower,' _Yusuke pushed her in the room, locking it with his spirit energy. She wasn't escaping today.

_'Go get your attitude beautified!' _Kiora yelled back at Yusuke, tuning him out before he could retort back at her.

* * *

Silverwing013: Mostly guard watch for today's chappie. Sorry folks. But…Hiei…hmmm. My goodness. I had him revel something a bit there. That figure…hmmm. Good god, I've created more questions! Oh well, it's part of the overall story. It'll be answered.

Reviewers. I answer a person here. I have a life. Repeat, yes I do. I have a life. It could take a while for me to post, but it gets there. We just had prom and state large group contest for band up at my school. Add in the homework…. And the fact I added a new story on top of the others… Cool it. I don't need a slave. It'll go to the heads of my little fan club. I don't need them asking questions about my 'movie star' life.

okamigirl13- Shadow minions…hm…trust? I think the name I gave them was a huge tip off for that question. Sorry you're confused. I updated when I could.

Niana Kuonji- Sorry about your comp problems again. Hiei is a bit cranky yes. As for reincarnation…no. I won't say any more on that. I just chose that as the history Koenma gives about Shadowland.

HieiFan666- No, shadow minions obviously don't like Hiei. 'Normal' people probably wouldn't like his attitude unless they know the reason he's like that. Agree? I didn't like him until he started showing a good side during the Four Saint Beasts with his fight and the Gate of Betrayal thing. Update came, didn't it?

King Uncle Kenny the 13th- See above comment and apologue accepted on the stolen number. Yessum, I updated. Please do not spread that you offered to be my slave. I get annoyed by my fan club enough. But I am glad that you like it that much :D

Silverwing013: Next up…Kurama hopefully gets that hand fixed! And a small chat with Kido…


	8. Desperate

Silverwing013: That's right. Yet another chappie of this. Disclaim all rights to the original story. Like I really own someone else's work people.

* * *

Kuwabara and Kurama looked up from their breakfast cereal to see Yusuke shove Kiora into the room. Hiei glanced up briefly from where he sat in the corner. 

'_Rude boy! I was right when I picked that name out for you!'_ Kiora shouted at Yusuke.

'_Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Now be quiet and eat,'_ Yusuke went over to grab some milk from the fridge.

"Perhaps, Yusuke," Kurama spoke up from his seat at the table, "you should be on better terms with Kiora. It'll make the year more bearable for all of us. I'm sure you don't want the three worlds to be destroyed, however she may do that."

"Year long mission," Yusuke snorted. "Obviously if we kill her, than there will be no more prophecy. No more prophecy, no more year long mission."

"You'd kill an innocent **_girl_** Urameshi?" Kuwabara shouted out unbelievably.

Yusuke raised his eyebrow over at Kuwabara and pondered over it as he poured milk over his cereal. "If it got down to that point...yeah."

"Hn!" Hiei snorted in his corner.

"And just what is your problem shrimpy!" Kuwabara turned on him.

"...hn...not that I care too much about this...but the stupid detective would die in pretty much hell for that..."

"What do you mean Hiei?" Kurama asked, while keeping an eye on the sullen girl eating in the opposite corner of the room.

"Hn. Nothing."

"Nothing! You meant something by that Hiei! What do you know that we don't?" Yusuke yelled over at the short fire demon.

Hiei glared at them. "Those shadow minions view her as their Mistress."

The group around him paused to let this information sink in. The silence was broken with, "Mistress? That stupid girl? You've got to be kidding me Hiei." Yusuke told him, taking a careful look over at Kiora.

"Yeah shrimpy," Kuwabara agreed. "Their 'Mistress' or whatever died years ago. Koenma told us that the other day. Her body showed up in Spirit World beyond repairing. That was...um...the Shadow Goddess... Yeah, that was right. Shadow Goddess."

Hiei merely glared over at the oaf. Come on, someone here can't be that stupid, Hiei thought. He glanced over at Kurama expectedly. Kurama didn't notice. He was too busy stirring his human cereal as he gazed at Kiora with a searching look.

"Hm... Her body, yes. But...not her spirit."

Thank you Kurama, Hiei rolled his eyes.

"Huh?" Kuwabara said stupidly. "Her spirit was buried or hidden...or, what was it?"

Yusuke glanced at the girl again. Her? The Shadowland Mistress? Yeah right. "For once, I agree with dum-dum here."

Kuwabara nodded solemnly. "Yeah, that's right. See, I'm--WHAT DID YOU SAY? DUM-DUM AM I? I"LL SHOW YOU URAMESHI!"

His bright orange spirit sword flashed out threateningly at Yusuke. Yusuke starred back evenly, calmly. "Kuwabara, calm--" Kurama started but was inturpted as the trio quickly turned as a loud crash resonated through the kitchen/dining room area. Kiora had toppled off of her chair in shock at the sudden form of the orange sword in front of her. Her cereal had fallen onto the floor and onto her, the glass shattering. Her mouth spuddered as she pressed herself as far away from the sword as she could up against the wall, her eyes wide.

Kuwabara starred stupidly at her, Yusuke as well. "What the heck is her problem?"

**_'WHAT IS THAT THING?'_** Kiora's voice shrilled through their heads. **_'WHAT IS IT? GET RID OF IT!'_**

_'Um...What? This?'_ Kuwabara waved his sword around a bit and her head nodded fircely.

**_'YES THAT THING! GET RID OF IT!_** _Kuwabara, I beg of you. Please just banish it away. Place it away from my view. Anything. Just make it go away.'_

_'Uh...sure,'_ Kuwabara shrugged and his spirit sword disappeared from their view.

_'Perhaps we should teach you about spirit energy,'_ Kurama mused.

_'What's that? A glowing thing that pops out of no where?'_

Kurama tapped his hand on top of hers so she could take the hand to help herself up, but she knocked it away. _'Spirit energy is different for each individual. Kuwabara's here has spirit energy in the form of a sword.'_

_'A sword?'_ She asked unbelievingly. _'Looks more like a big stick to me that he waves around. There's no style to the way he waved it around.'_

Hiei snickered from his corner of the room. _'SHUT UP! I just wasn't using it against a worthy opponent. Urameshi's beatable. I will defeat him someday.'_

_'As if,'_ Yusuke rolled his eyes.

_'Please you two,'_ Kurama spoke dismissively. _'Our guest here needs to wash herself off. I'll take her down to the bathroom.'_ "Yusuke, I trust you treat her better in the future. The mission you may hate but don't take it out on this 'helpless' girl."

"Kuh'!" Yusuke answered Kurama. "Only if she doesn't hack out her anger onto me as well."

_'Guest Kurama?'_ Kiora replied to Kurama's last statement inside her head. _'That's a bit rich. Hostage is the more proper word. I have no choice but to stay up her according to my capturers. And I know my way to the bathroom. My memory isn't that bad.' _

Kiora stood up and stalked defiantly out the door in the direction of the bathroom with Kurama quickly following. Yusuke and Kuwabara went back to their cereal. Yusuke jabbed at the bowl with his spoon. "I hate this mission. But..."

Yusuke stood up, dragging Kuwabara with him as he also left. "Come on Kuwabara. I haven't pounded anything for a good week or two. I've got some anger issues to get out right now."

Kuwabara pulled himself from Yusuke's grasp. "I'll beat you this time Urameshi!" Hiei's ears could hear the two idiot humans racing down the hallway for the arena. He smirked at the clueless Kuwabara. He'll be seeing the hospital soon, Hiei grinned. Stupid is as stupid does. Now where had he heard that quote? He couldn't remember at the moment, but he could remember that the room was unguarded and unwatched with plenty of sweet snow and sugars in the room. He grabbed for a bucket of sweet snow and then grabbed some lemon drops, chocolates, and a few other choice sugars to sneak into his room down the hallway a ways.

* * *

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Kiora starred at the walls of the bathroom carefully. When I'm desperate, she thought, Shadow Minions or I cause that weird black glow around me. She shut her eyes and nodded to herself. She quickly went to work

* * *

"Kido? Yes. Well, we have a mission and I need some information you might have. Do you know anything about Shadowland?...Really?...Is that all you remember?...That's all Koenma remembered also...What about any idea about a reincarnation or anything else for the Shadow Minion's Mistress, the Shadow Goddess?...Oh really...that's interesting...more Shadow Minions are just searching school areas lately?...Well, I think we found her...Yes, we know...Any information on the warrior that destroyed the Goddess in the first place?...No...It would have helped if we had an idea on how to contour Shadowland somehow...I really must go...Watch duty...Bye Kido." Kurama hung up on Kido, taking a glance at the bathroom door.

_Oh the dreadful fate of dragging minutes that seem hours...How oh he who is praised by unholy amounts of gals be bored...Actually...he couldn't really be bored...the girl was just taking her good old sweet time and it worried the praised one._

Kurama stood outside the bathroom door, which had been locked with his spirit energy, casually leaning against the wall. His ear twitched toward the doorway for noise. Water was still running. His ear twitched back. Something didn't feel right. Kiora had been in there a while. With only water running. Wouldn't there be more noise? Cabinets opening and shutting. Tabs being moved for keeping up the warmness of water. Anything. Kurama turned away from the wall to stand directly in front of the door, knocking it loudly so she could hear it over the running water. Nothing. No reaction. He knocked harder and waited for a response. Nothing once again. Cautiously, he unlocked the door and slowly opened the door. When a few seconds passed without a scream or someone trying to close the door, Kurama peeked inside. The shower door stood open with water running but not a single person inside of it. A razor had been thrown onto the floor under the cabinets. Kurama bent down to pick it up. There was no blade. He headed toward the back part of the bathroom where the hot tub was with quiet feet. Green eyes scanned the room area and spotted the missing blade next to an open window.

Kiora has left the Palace.

* * *

"Urghhhh..." Kuwabara moaned as he staggered down the hall with his new injuries. 

"Ahhhh. That felt great," Yusuke strode out of the arena area, clapping an arm on Kuwabara's shoulder that made him wince greatly from the pain. "Thanks for helping me out. You should give out anger management classes all the time Kuwabara. I would be your number one patient."

"Put a cork on the jokes Urameshi. One of these days you're going to get what you've been asking for. I'll get you someday. Just you wait--GAAAHHHH'!" Kuwabara fell straight backwards with that last scream.

Yusuke peered down at Kuwabara in half amusement, half worry. "Aw, come on. I didn't pound you that hard."

Kuwabara's hand shook as he pointed at the window. "No...that girl."

Yusuke glanced over at the window, bored-like. "AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! HOW'D THE HELL SHE GET OUT THERE?"

Yanking open the window, Yusuke yelled up at the climbing girl. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? GET YOUR ASS BACK IN HERE! Oh yeah...she can't hear us."

Making a grab for her leg, he jumped upwards for an ankle. Missing as it would seem. He jumped again but she was even farther out of reach than before. "Damn annoying girl. She makes this mission worse. If only she'd actually stay here without trying to escape."

Kurama raced down the hallway panting. "Have...you two...seen--"

"Yeah. She just went up. Couldn't grab her for ya. How'd she get out of a locked room?"

Kurama took large strides over to the opened window, starting to climb through the small exit for outside. "Unlocking a smaller entrance I hadn't thought to spirit lock."

Kurama had gotten halfway through the window when a dark blue blur flew down outside. He made a wild grab with a visible hand for the blur as it passed. Yusuke and Kuwabara pressed their faces against the opposite window to see the girl fall down, down, down.

"She ain't living through this one. Ya can't just fall out of Spirit World and into Human World can ya Kurama?"

Kurama shook his heading a no in a daze. Kiora, had jumped? She couldn't be that desperate to escape from Spirit World.

"HA!" She crowed out as she fell, watching her hand. "Kasatto! Portal! Anywhere but here! Quick, I don't know how to make one big enough and this fall can't last forever!"

A large black portal formed beneath her and sucked her inside the blackness before the portal disappeared. The trio blinked as she disappeared. "Well," Kurama spoke amazed. "Her goal was accomplished." Saddened green eyes glazed over as they starred at the nonexistent hand.

* * *

And where was Hiei for all of this? Watching the whole show through a window he usually kept covered as he ate his sweet snow with a large spoon. He smiled a grim smile. "Smart human. And so it starts again. So it starts." He stuffed a large scoop of sweet snow as if it were medicine he desperately needed. The fingers on his other hand traced over the smoothness of a large roundish black flat stone that fit perfectly in his hand.

* * *

Silverwing013: She escaped? And no one spotted this earlier? Why inthe hell did Hiei just sit there? Phone call to Kido then. Anywhere but here...I wonder where Kiora will end up then? Just great. And what about poor Kurama's hand? She left before they could really clue her in on what was happening so he would get that hand back. 

HieiFan666- No, Yusuke doesn't like it one bit. I consider anyone to with his attitude to have a year long mission...how much of your time would that take out of your life? Would you be pissed?...yes, you would. It does make things complicated (which is the way i prefer things) but yeah...since he's pretty much the main guy and main hero in the end for everything...it does screw this thing up. And on subject of Hiei. Looking back on those episodes...i luv the guy...i luv the whole gang (Kuwabara a bit more than the rest...he's the butt jokes and humor of the whole series) So there is my feelings. luv the guy. he grew on me. the situtations he gets put in make you realize he's more than just an evil demon.(his sister...anger towards kuwabara...his respect for yusuke...trust for kurama...his honor code(yes, honor code. to a certain extent, he does have one. Never kill without good reason. Don't kill off an ally. Help those that could help you in return. Try to seem like a badass so people leave your shit and feelings alone. Yeah, that honor code.)) WOW! BIG RAMBLES!

Niana Kuonji- Ooooo. Now I really want to send something after that hand. (thank you for the idea!) And now Kurama probably hates me...(pouts). I'm surprised...out of all my nice little reviews, you usually pick up on what I'm going for...and yet, even you hasn't noticed something. It must mean that I've hidden the fact well(even though it's mentioned way back in chappie5 and not once since...oooo watch out. I'm giving out hints. (wink wink)) So anyway...Hiei isn't so prickly in this one. Sorry. But I believe that in the confines of only yourself in a room will revel out some of your privicy issues. (Ever catch someone picking their nose in an 'empty' room? The things people do when they think they're alone...)

King Uncle Kenny the 13th- I guess it's okay about the pressure thingy. I deal with it every day from my parents, teachers, friends, and teammates. A good story? I don't know...it's hard to keep up with all my other great chappies...so...anyway. Yeah...I posted. Yee Welcome. Go and tend to that reviewer button you like so much.

Jin-ashi- Told ya I was working on it. Kiora's mother and that question you brought up earlier will come up later when she comes back from where-ever she went. Your so young...I don't think you died before I got this chappie posted. Hope to talk to ya later!

Silverwing013: Well, you can tell when I'm in a grand ol' mood. I type too much for my own good. Better work on some more chappies with this extreme mood. Tune in next time when Kiora is now at the place of...


	9. Lost

Silverwing013: Disclaimer. I do not own YuYu Hakusho. I own all other figments from my mind. And I do wish that I own the idea of Dr. Pepper however ridiculous it may seem to you people.

* * *

One footstep after the other, following each worn white sneaker. The long street stretched out in front of her unknown path. She had no idea where she was but she wasn't desperate enough to tap into her unknown power as Shadowland's 'Mistress' to ask a shadow minion for help. Kasatto had left her it seemed, the minute she had been dropped off somewhere. The signs on the street were written funny and she found trouble reading them. So, no directions came from the signs around her. And it wasn't like she could ask someone she couldn't see. Sure she supposed she could concentrate on their itchy feeling to talk to them inside their mind but she couldn't feel that many strong itchy feelings around. None of these people around her were special enough to understand if she went inside their minds and listen to her to help her out.

Still, at least she wasn't being held hostage anymore. That thought kept her content and she continued wandering down the streets.

* * *

"SHE WHAT?" Koenma's voice barked across the room.

The four stood in front of him, three of the heads hanging down at the yelling directed towards them. The shortest of the four starred unfazed at the teen version of Koenma, not threatened, scared, or disappointed.

"HOW IN THE THREE WORLDS DID SHE ESCAPE FROM SPIRIT WORLD UNDER MY BEST FIGHTERS WATCH AND GUARD? A JOB LIKE THIS WOULD BE EASY FOR YOU FOUR!"

Kurama poked his head up. "Koenma. We came to the conclusion this morning that she could be the reincarnation of some sort of the Shadow Goddess. If that's true, she would be able to outwit fighters like ourselves like you said about the Shadow Goddess."

"Makes sense…" Koenma pondered over this. "Makes perfect sense…. Well, she's gone now and we can't do anything about it now. I'll search for her energy on our machine down the hall."

Koenma shouted over at the door. "Botan! Jorge! I know you're out there listening! Go down and search for Kiora's energy!"

Shuffles of feet were heard and Botan popped her head through the door. "Sorry sir! We'll get right on it!" Botan disappeared from the doorway and they saw Botan and Jorge run off down the hall.

"She won't be found."

Everyone's heads turned toward Hiei. "What'd ya mean by that shrimpy?"

"Her goal was to get away from us and she achieved it. Do you really think she'll make it easy for us to find her? I can't sense her at all."

"It's not like you wanted her here that badly. Why'd you take the time to search for her if you didn't even help us in trying to stop her escape? What about that one Hiei?" Yusuke asked him.

"Hn."

"Oh, cut the 'hn' crap and give us a straight answer Hiei! Why are you acting so weird anyway?"

Hiei turned heel, strutting out of the room.

"What **_is_** his problem Kurama?" Yusuke turned to Kurama for an answer on this.

"Truthfully? I can't say. There's times when he pulls his regular act, but slight moments when he acts completely out of character. One guess would say his past is affecting him. Another would claim is he hates another human around him for this long. And yet another guess would have me wonder on his relationship with Kiora."

"Hold it, hold it," Yusuke put his hands up in the air to stop Kurama from talking. "Hiei…liking…actually liking…this girl?"

"Huh! Whadda know? Short stuff has a crush!" Kuwabara exclaimed.

Kurama edged away from the two. "I'm just thinking that it's more like…like…maybe like how he feels about you two? Tolerable?"

"Wow, I feel so appreciated," Yusuke scorned.

"Don't take it the wrong way Yusuke. Its just Hiei--."

"I what Kurama?" Kurama turned at the voice with the others to see Hiei leaning at the doorway. So casually. So calmly. So…so…so untypical Hiei.

"Uh…well it is rather that I find you don't really **_strive_** to like the human type…" Kurama trailed off. "Why'd you come back in here anyway?"

"Hn." Hiei handed a piece of paper up to Koenma. "It was on the door."

Koenma's eyes scanned the sheet, and then blinked at the words. "Uh…well…that's interesting…."

Watching Koenma mutter over the paper for a while, Yusuke asked annoyed, "What's it say?"

"Our Mistress is attending to family matters. I highly suggest that the prophesied four leave well enough alone and keep Spirit World's hands out of Mistress's business. We cannot promise anyone anything on this matter or if our Mistress will decide on coming back. Do not meddle inside Demon World. If done, we will attack for interrupting our search for the traitor, our old Demon Alliance. I ask for the fire demon that was with Mistress earlier to please go down for a questioning at the outskirts of Tokyo at midnight to send him to Shadowland. No one needs pry. The fire demon will live through Shadowland if he is not the one we are searching for. I do not apologize on Mekka's part for the damage done to this Kurama of the prophesied four. Nor will there be any of help from us if Mistress does not order it to be. We hold no loyalties to the fire demon made promise to about Mekka's actions. Sign Kasatto of the K-shadow league of Shadowland."

"Family matters? Traitor? Old Demon Alliance? Does he mean Hiei? And they're not going to fix Kurama's hand? He didn't even do anything to them!" Yusuke shouted at Koenma. Kuwabara nodded fiercely.

Kurama starred down at his hand once again. How will I pass this off to everyone, he wondered.

"I have no idea on the family matter. The traitor I would expect to be already dead because Shadow Minions haven't been doing anything since the ending reign of King Enma the First. Not a clue on who the traitor is, don't ask me that Yusuke. I would think Hiei is who they're talking about because he's the only fire demon up here. And they're Shadow Minions, not angels. I want you to stay up here Hiei. Shadowland is not a place fighters come back from. We don't need to loss someone this early into the mis—" Koenma paused as he looked up. "—sion. HIEI!"

Hiei was gone.

* * *

Kiora's footsteps stopped in front of a nice little brick house, starring at it with question and amazement.

"Greetings Mistress."

"Kasatto!" Kiora exclaimed as she turned to see who was there. "Is this house…?"

Kasatto chuckled, handing her her backpack that he had retrieved from Spirit World when he was there. "I thought you'd rather come to the city where your mother lives to hear more on your family's past and how your father was the one who started this rather than just sending you down to Shadowland to train without explanation."

Kiora smiled at the Shadow Minion. "I've decided I just may like you guys. I'll dot you my favorite from now for this."

Kasatto turned away from her and she could swear his checks became even darker than that dark black that seemed to be the color needed to be a Shadow Minion. "No need to do that Mistress. I'm just doing my job and…I'll be going back to Shadowland to check upon how my league is doing without me. Good day Mistress."

Kasatto bowed and disappeared in one motion. Kiora grinned more before turning back to face the house to read the large wooden sign on the doorway. SHUKUN. Her grin faded into worry. How would her mama react?

* * *

Silverwing013: Her father started this? But we all thought her mother agreed to this. Ha! I through a twist in there, didn't I? And Hiei? Sorry, he's gone. Not a clue on where he went. I'd ask Kurama usually…but I don't think Kurama knows where Hiei is. What city is Kiora in? Pah'! I wouldn't say now would I? Who would think Shadow Minions could blush? Poor poor Kurama…how is he passing off this new mishap to his mother and fellow classmates?

chaos tenshi-  
I  
I U  
I UP  
I UPD  
I UPDA  
I UPDAT  
I UPDATE  
I UPDATED

King Uncle Kenny the 13th- Less pressure now at the moment. Summer is going great except for the fact I have major sport practices and a softball game every night about. Besides…our coach is, dare I say it in fear of not being played now, a big-assed negetive bastard. So, parents have been mentioning this to the school board, principles, ect…and he actually ACTED nice tonight but I'll bet he'll blow up sooner or later. So far at this moment…four girls have quit…just an example of how much we hate the guy. FUN, fun, fun! I do hope you are glad on my update though. I had fun showing Kiora that Shadow Minions may not be SO bad after all. I do love Kasatto because he seems to really show some emotion, remember he's already laughed before, so that was fun to do. However, Mekka is one that I love to hate because he's like a little kid sometimes. He holds a grudge that guy and he's proven to be a bit of a coward when confronted. It'll cause trouble later as all other things I type tend to do. My, my…I am rambling on quite a bit. I'll guess your tired of reading all of my average day crap and feelings on the Shadow Minions so far in the story.

HieiFan666- Yes! I loved your view on that chapter. Everyone gaping and someone doing a free fall into a large black hole. I thought it'd be an interesting way for her to get out of there. See huge ramble before to see why I lacked an update for a while…sorry for making ya wait!

Kurayamihikari- 1)mysteries, good. 2)hiei does as he will 3)Yes, Hiei being sneaky sounds like him. 4)Where'd it come from? Simple, Shadowland. And it's supposed to be a bit creepy. It's a Shadow Minion, not an angel. (sorry, loved the way I had Koenma say that part) And thank you.

Niana Kuonji- I thought you disappeared forever! I got worried about you…seriously. That is their guess on what she is, yes. Who is the warrior? I'LL NEVER TELL! NEVER! Wait a minute…I'll have to later on…yeah…near the end of the year I think the warrior I'll have show up. But for now, I keep the secert buried with me. Yes, poor Kurama. He has no hand…well, to the naked eye…he can still use it ya know……but, how will he explain it missing for so long? Cause…Kiora isn't going to plan on coming back to her 'kidnappers' for a while. Her escape is one I enjoy…thank you.

Silverwing013: read onward to see Kiora's family story and Kurama's hand solution for the Human World.


	10. Experiments

Silverwing013: Disclaimers, disclaimers. My oh my. Um, yes. Don't own YuYu Hakusho. Do own Kiora, Shadowland, Shadow Minions, and others. You may continue onward now.

* * *

"So, Kido told me you four are looking after some girl that deals with his heritage," Kaito pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. It was a tiresome habit that Kaito hated. He really needed to bring them in to fix some wires so it wouldn't happen so often.

Kurama looked up from his book, held with one good hand, the other hidden in his pocket. "Heritage? I only asked if he knew anything about Shadowland, considering the powers he received during—"

Kaito interrupted Kurama with a shake of his head. "Has no one told you four the truth about Kido?"

Kurama glanced over at him. "The truth? What don't we know Kaito?"

"Kido's whole family history deals all about shadows. I've never really pried myself into his personal life, but I do know there was something…off about him before," Kaito pushed his glasses up once more. "Back in grade school, he talked to himself a lot and a few kids made tease that he only had his imaginary friends. He exploded one day screaming about that Kasatto was real and part of his father's history. Something about Kasatto being a shadow minion he called it. Kids believed him crazy, not wanting to get near the crazy kid again. He never pulled an outburst like that again and kept quiet. The incident faded away in people's minds after a few years, although few like myself remember it."

"Kasatto?" Kurama asked. "Are you sure he said Kasatto? And the Shadow Minion part?"

Kaito pushed his glasses up once more. "Positive. Why do you ask?"

"I do believe I'll be making a visit there after school. Thanks Kaito," Kurama went back to his book.

Kaito turned only to turn back around again, smiling. "And Kurama."

Kurama looked up at hearing him use the name Kurama instead of Shuichi. "How's your hand?"

Kurama glanced down at the hand holding his book pointedly. "Fine."

Glasses were pushed up once more as Kaito smiled again. "I mean the other one, your right hand."

Kurama cleared his throat. "Perfectly fine Kaito."

"I see," Kaito moved the frame of his glasses with his index and thumb. "What's your story?"

"I'm doing an experiment to see how long a person can manage doing things without their dominant hand. Keeping my right hand in my pocket is to remind myself not to use it."

"Nice story. And we both know perfectly well that you can manage with either one," Kaito smiled again, leaving the now empty classroom besides Kurama.

Kurama glanced out the window near the seat he sat in. "But Shadow Minions didn't start coming back till this past week. How did they pass the Spirit World detection?" He pondered around for different answers to this, getting nowhere fast.

"Hey Shuichi," called a voice interrupting his thoughts. "How's the reading assignment going?"

Shuichi glanced up to see the familiar brown head and brown eyes of Sabishii. "Good. How about you?"

"Same. Wish I could repay you back for you helping me study for the quarter test," Sabishii bit her lip, knowing full well that Shuichi never had anyone pay him back from helping. He seemed to do it just because he actually wanted to.

"Well," Shuichi pondered. "Now that you mention it…. There is a experiment I'm doing to see how long a person can manage doing things without their dominant hand. I'm doing it myself by keeping my right hand in my pocket. Would you kindly write your name on my notebook here to do the experiment as well?"

Sabishii's face brightened. "Of course I'll do the experiment! I'm right handed so you know." She bent down to write her name on the notebook, testing herself to write it with her left hand, finding that it looked like her handwriting back in second grade. "Ooo. Harder than it looks," she commented as she stepped back to see her name on the lined paper.

The teacher entered the classroom that was now full of talkative students. Sabishii gave a small wave of her left hand as she headed to her own seat.

"Good Morning class," the teacher spoke as he placed his suitcase on his desk, taking out the stack of papers that held the quarter test papers. Sabishii received her paper, practically glowing as she saw the score. She held it up proudly in Shuichi's direction with her left hand, mouthing the words 'thank you' before turning around to whisper to a girl behind her. And so the Monday day began.

* * *

Breath. Snore. Breath. Snore. Breath. Snore. Brea—

"Mr. Urameshi!"

Yusuke jerked his head up from his desk mumbling, "I'm here damnit. Go away."

Waving his hand dismissively, Yusuke fell back asleep on his desk.

Mr. Takenaka yanked Yusuke up by his ear, "Attendance is over Mr. Urameshi. Now why don't you join the rest of the class in paying attention?"

"OW! OW! DAMNIT! THAT HURTS YOU BASTARD!"

Mr. Takenaka shook Yusuke by the ear that he held. "I suggest you tone it down in the future Yusuke, I'd like you to head to the office."

Yusuke, now fully awake, gave a look at Mr. Takenaka. "Yeah, yeah whatever."

Mr. Takenaka gave Yusuke a look as well. "_Straight_ to the office Mr. Urameshi."

Yusuke pulled a huge yawn, arms above his head as he headed out of the classroom. "Keep your pants on old man. I'm going already."

Yusuke shut the door, yawning again to rub under an eye. "Damn toddler. Stupid all-nighter search," Yusuke grumbled. "AND I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ANY ENERGY TO STOP KEIKO FROM DRAGGING ME TO SCHOOL!"

A classroom door opened to another male student whom called back inside the classroom, "It's only Urameshi!" before he shut the door again.

"Only Urameshi?" Yusuke wondered aloud.

"Hey Urameshi," muttered a tired voice behind him. "You sent to the office for sleepin' too?"

"No. I got sent out because of my good behavior," Yusuke spoke sarcastically to Kuwabara.

"Really?" Kuwabara asked rubbing under an eye.

Rolling his eyes over at Kuwabara, Yusuke spoke. "No, really? Of course I was sent to the office for sleeping stupid."

"Hey! I'm not stupid! You try going to school everyday for once to learn something Urameshi!"

"Yeah, yeah. Like it actually helps in real life," Yusuke opened up a door.

"What real life you talking about? Real world or Spirit world mission life?"

"Tuh! The second one stupid," Yusuke answered going through the door.

Kuwabara paused. "Hey! This isn't the office! This goes up to the roof!"

Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "Did you really think I was heading to the office? Stupid. I could give a shit less about school, I'm getting my sleep."

"Your loss Urameshi," Kuwabara yelled up the stairs as the door shut.

* * *

Diary Entry

I finally got out of those guy's kidnapping or whatever one would call that. It took a while, but mama finally got use to talking with me from her head. Wow. That sounded weird. I didn't even know I could do that myself until last Friday and the idea still seems a tad bit foreign. Today she's going to explain to me what she knows about the Shadowland thing. Finally, some clarity! It has something to do with my father though and she said she may not remember all the facts he told her about Shadowland very well. Kasatto came by earlier with Kast, a shadow minion from his leauge that has a troop or something. They didn't seem to pleased about something. I asked about it and it turns out that they asked tree boy to come down for questioning, but he didn't show up. Then they're having trouble locating some old traitor. Whoever that may be. I kind of wonder if nice boy is doing alright with his hand back in sight, even though I know plenty well he helped kidnapped me, a person can still wonder.

* * *

Keiko's feet thudded their way up to the roof top area, pushing open the door to see Yusuke sleeping. Standing boldly in front of the school's punk… "Yusuke!"

In mid-snore, Yusuke jerked awake. "What Keiko? I came to scho-ol." The yawn punctured the word school.

Keiko smiled. "I know. School is over Yusuke."

"Oh goody, more time to search for Hiei and that stupid girl," Yusuke stood up, streaching.

"I thought she escaped from Spirit World in less than a day," Keiko frowned pondering how someone escaped from there. It didn't help her pondering that she had never been up there.

"Yeah, whatever. Not that I miss it or anything, but why aren't you yelling at me when I usually skip?" Yusuke gazed over at Keiko, ready for any explosions.

Keiko smiled. "Most days I can't even get you down to your first class. But today you got through not one but three classes. Must have been hard for you two to stay awake because Kuwabara fell asleep twice in two different classes before Shizuru came down to pick him up along with his homework assignments."

"Ha," Yusuke looked smug. "He didn't make it through the leactures."

"Want me to watch over Puu or are you going to bring him home?" Keiko pulled out Puu from behind her back.

"Eh?" Yusuke looked over at his Spirit Beast. "You can baby-sit him."

"Sure," Keiko turned around to walk back to the door. "As long as you go to school ALL day tomorrow…and stay awake for ALL of your classes."

"Like that's going to happen," Yusuke muttered.

Keiko turned. "So you want Puu back?"

"Not a chance."

"No Puu, you go to school. No school, Puu is staying with you for the next two weeks."

Yusuke frowned. "Fine. I'll go to school. Jezz you're worse than ma."

"And go to all the classes," Keiko added in before he could walk off.

Yusuke grumbled loudly to himself. "Alright, alright. Jezz I'll go. Lay off already. Wasn't three classes enough for you?"

"But I was so proud of you actaully attending class for once."

"Puu?" Puu asked nervously.

Yusuke stepped back from her. With one single thought going through his head. "Keiko…you're scaring me."

"Puu! Puu!" Was the agreement.

"Yusuke, you scare all my friends away with your rude and vulgar behavior and you think _I'm_ scary?"

"When your being this nice…."

Keiko raised an eyebrow. "I'll see you tomorrow Yusuke…_at school_."

Keiko turned away and Yusuke inched his way behind her, lifting up her skirt. "Clean panties for once. Maybe that's why your in such a good mode."

_**THWACK!**_

Yusuke twitched. "I don't even know why I bother," Keiko said under her breath as she left the roof top area.

Hearing the door slam shut, Yusuke sat up rubbing at a check, grinning. "Now _that's_ the Keiko _I_ know."

* * *

"Shuichi! Shuichi!" Three girls raced up to Shuichi who was just exiting class.

Shuichi mentally sighed. This is what he got for stuffing his invisible hand in his pocket. Pulling out his notebook that was already on it's fourth page of name signatures, he held it out. "I'm supposing you three want to try the experiment also?"

There were suddenly vicious nods of their heads as they beamed smiles up at Shuichi.

"Sign here."

The girls quickly signed, giving happy goodbyes that turned into giggles as he left. He no more than got a few feet farther from the door of the classroom when he got completely mobbed by more students wanting to sign the notebook for his experiment. Mostly girls, quite a few guys in there actually, scrambled around the notebook being passed around the crowd. Tall people, fat people, short people, skiny people. Punks, goths, preps, and all other types of groups. He had even a couple of teachers come up to him when the mob had died down to write their name on the notebook.

Now…only to get to Kido's house without futher mishap….

* * *

Jorge slammed the door open to Koenma's office. "Sir!"

Koenma looked up anxiously, "Have you found them?"

Holding up his newest stack of papers from the Spirit Energy Machine (my, my, that thing is handy), Jorge shook his head. "No sir. Hiei's energy is nearly nonsexist and Kiora's isn't even showing up on the screen. Sir, how are you going to get through this mission with one of the team missing?"

"I DON'T KNOW JORGE!" Koenma stood up exploding out, slamming his small toddler fists on the desk. Sitting back down to calm himself, Koenma muttered, "I just don't know. I didn't tell the team this…but we didn't even win against the Shadow Goddess the first time around."

Botan whom had been heading inside the room at that moment was the voice that responded to that statement. "What? You mean we didn't win!"

"Yes," Koenma sighed. "We didn't win. I asked father more about it the other day for specifics. Facts are this. Not one of the fighters that Spirit World sent down came back. Not a single one. Not even the single fighter that was last there before her body was sent back up here destroyed. I'm worried what Hiei has done. He very well may have started the next Shadowland War."

Botan and Jorge exchanged worried looks, only to look back a Koenma's face.

* * *

Silverwing013: Congrats to me on writing this chapter finally! Mostly just the days go on type of thing…but a few hints to help the boys out to what's going on. Kido may have more to do with this than originally thought. And if Hiei never showed up…wherever did the fire demon go? Kurama's hand problem was solved (HAHAHAHAHAHA! I do love the way I had it solved.) And Keiko scared the 'Great Yusuke Urameshi'. (tee…they needed some interaction. And Yusuke will have his own way to skive around the school problem.)

HieiFan666: Nothing has happened to Hiei…yet. Lets just say he won't be seen for a while. Kiora will finally be getting her questions answered…some of which will be suprising. She'll be seen with her mother for a while after that to get some mother-daughter time…which, she is undoubtedly going to need.

Samee: Thanks. By the way…I luv spaz's! I can be a bit of a spaz myself. Showing me a can of Dr. Pepper is a sure fire way to get me acting nuts. Then you should see me if I spot a semi with their logo all over it…can you say, 'lack of attention on the road'? I updated!

Jin-ashi: Thank you, thank you. Um…letsee…I updated. Hope forgiveness if it wasn't soon enough.

Niana Kuonji: Yes you were missed! And u just made me think of that Lion King song…can u feel the luv tonight……But that's WAY off subject. Yes…can touch Kurama's hand. He himself cannot touch it with a visible part of his body…but yes, it's useable. Make up…how embarassing! (I never really wear it myself much…) Anyway, he'd have to steal it from his mother somehow or buy some from a store… And a glove seemed to make it too obvious. I liked my experiment idea. I got to play around with his popularity around the school area. Gotta luv the minions! (-random point to my cat- "You! Go get my drink!" unfortunally…I really don't have any cool minions to order around at my command…maybe if I get really famous with my writings…? Or not.) Ur welcome for the updation! (is that a word?)

Silverwing013: so anyway…tomorrow I get wisdom teeth pulled out(-mental screaming-AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!) and for a while now, I'm going to bear down on my Forbidden Hunter's new chapter so I don't get completely behind in that story. BAD AUTHOR, BAD! So u guys will have to wait until I get that chapter out before I start typing the next chapter for this one…Sorrys if it's a long wait for u guys. Till next time, it's been a real blast!


	11. Returned

Silverwing013: Me'lo. Hope to find my audience well. Goodness knows the people in my stories can say the same. YuYu Hakusho doesn't belong to me, I'm sorry to say. But all visions of Shadowland's people, things, traitors, prophecies, and minions belong solely to moi.

* * *

Keiko ran from classroom to classroom early in the morning…finally reaching the last one to look inside to scream out with fury, "YUSUKE!"

For on every board was Yusuke's handwriting, _'Yusuke was here', 'Yusuke was here,' 'Yusuke was here', 'Yusuke was here', 'Take a bite outta that Keiko'_. The very last board featured a mini-Yusuke shaking his rear end at her.

Up on the roof, Yusuke smiled to himself. He had been to all his classes after all….

* * *

"Urameshi," someone poked Yusuke with no caution whatsoever. Which earned this poker a hard kick to the stomach.

"Uhnn," Yusuke peered open blurry eyes, stretching in a yawn as he glanced around the area. "Huunnn…" Yusuke's eyes paused on the familiar shape. "Again? When I find Hiei finally, remind me to pound his butt…/-/yawn/-/…unless he's already dead."

"Who says your finding Runty first?" Kuwabara sat up, clutching his stomach doing so.

Yusuke gave him a lopsided grin, placing his arms behind his head nonchantly. "Says I, the mighty leader and captain."

"You wish Urameshi," Kuwabara stood up, waving a fist threatenly at the still resting Spirit Detective.

"Boys, boys!" Chirped a voice. "Is this a ritual you two perform, cause it looks like it's down to the perfected art of being called an act. Now break it up, break it up."

Yusuke peered open an eye to see Botan better on her oar, schoolgirl clothing donned on her as she landed on the school roof. "Shut it Botan. I have sleep to catch up on so Keiko doesn't manage to drag me to school again like the last few weeks. I'll leave the searching up to my sub-captain here…he needs something to be useful at."

"Why you," Kuwabara made a dive at Yusuke, crashing into the school wall as Yusuke simply yawned, rolling to the side.

"Botan, I'm going up to Koenma about this," Yusuke told her.

"Same here," Kuwabara grunted out, rubbing his sore head. "Shizuru's been a pain the last few weeks with me falling asleep all the time. I'm getting behind in my studies again and man is she scary when she wants to be."

"Welllll. I suppose you can talk to Koenma about taking part of your search time away. But I can see why he doesn't want to give up hope about them being gone."

"Whadda mean by that?"

Botan looked at Yusuke. "It's a good chance that when Hiei left for Shadowland that he very well has started up the next Shadowland War. High and powerful demons inside of Demon World have been mysteriously disappearing over this time of Hiei being gone. Koenma believes that the Shadow Minions are in charge of this because of the traitor search they warned about. But we can't even do anything about it! We sent some ogres down to see what was happening but even they have disappeared…." Botan bit her lip. "I'm personally worried…we didn't win the last Shadowland War…."

"Didn't…win..?" Yusuke sat up straight. "And what do you mean…'high and powerful demons'?"

Botan paused, gulping. "Uh…. Ones that we're kind of sure about… Black-Blade clan's leader, Grako, two of the Nekoyami litter, the partners of the Sizz clan, Dashe Koridale, Lord Couente, Mino, leader of the Kue clan, and a few more, all of whom you probably haven't heard of…."

Yusuke glared up at her questionably. Kuwabara stopped his fist from attacking Yusuke right at the moment. Botan gulped again, backing away from Yusuke. "And whom have I heard?"

"Well that's really not important at the moment really. Now you two have wasted enough tim—"

"WHO ELSE?"

"…Some of Raizen's old people…" Botan backed farther away from the teen. "…Chuu…" She backs farther away from the advancing teen. "…Yoko Kurama's mother, the fox one…" Farther away. "…and we're not sure if Kido's disappearance counts among those to Shadowland."

Yusuke stopped on the rooftop from advancing on Botan's shrinking form, clutching his fists to his sides tightly. Forget pounding Hiei's butt…Koenma's was in Yusuke's top list now. "Koenma…has some explaining to do."

* * *

Koenma grumbled to himself as he left the office for a small potty break. It had been now a complete four weeks (a whole month!) since Hiei and the prophecy girl had been seen or spotted on the Spirit Energy Machine. Yusuke and Kuwabara had a nice yelling match at Koenma just several hours ago that they didn't want to look for the two anymore. Yusuke was particularly pissed off at Koenma for holding back some information that Botan gave him. Kurama reported in every now and then, but his path down Kido was looking slimmer by the day. Koenma was starting to think about Botan just finding and dragging Kido up here himself for an interrogator to question him. Koenma hated this, not liking one bit of it. What more could happen?

It's no wonder the Spirit World didn't win last time, he thought angrily. With the powers that reincarnation already had, she could escape from the best of his people. And it didn't seem to Koenma from the last they saw of her that she even had full training or complete use of those powers. Dangerous that was.

What they really needed was a miracle that she would come back on her own, deciding to see it their way. Perhaps even turning Shadowland into a future ally that could help or at least not destroy people at any rate. A miracle. Pure miracle. Even better if Hiei came back alive and well. But he hadn't come back from that Shadowland questioning yet, so chances on that were thin as well. Most probably dead or whatever happened to the last few fighters that ever left for Shadowland all those centuries and centuries ago.

Koenma pushed open his office door, sighing as he prepared for more endless hours of paperwork. How odd, he thought as he saw his chair facing backwards, I left my chair facing the door so no one worried…. The chair spun around to reveal a person he'd never see again lounging calmly upon it, feet rested up on one side of the armchair, sucking on a sucker from his desk. Koenma blinked at whom sat in his chair, doing something he'd never done before…fainted on the spot.

A miracle I tell you, pure miracle.

* * *

"Shuichi! Shuichi! I lasted a complete four weeks on the experiment!"

"Shu-shu-chan! I lasted longer than she did!"

"You did not!"

"Yes I did! You only lasted a mere four days!"

"What about me? I'm still doing the experiment!"

"You lied about your dominant hand, you cheater!"

The fan girls had found him…again. Kurama reluctantly left from Kido's house in receiving no answer from ringing the doorbell, pulling out his own communicator a good distance away from the fan girls to call up Koenma. Kurama was tired of trying to chase down Kido every day. And his hand continuely inside his pocket was…lack of better words…damn annoying. It got hot in that pocket and he really was wishing that Kiora and Hiei would come back. At least Hiei could obviously see the things…perhaps conning one into getting his hand back to normal. "Koenma."

The screen remained blank, but Kurama suddenly heard a voice. "Damn it! How's this come-putter thing work? Stupid humanized machine. Too many damn buttons. How do stupid humans make it work?" Kurama heard rapid clicks from a mouse, but paid no mind to them.

"Hiei?" He asked incredulously. "Is that you?"

Click-click-click-click-click! Then a close up of a very red eye appeared on the screen. "Ha! Stupid human machine couldn't get the better of me!" The close up of the eye moved back to reveal Hiei lounging on Koenma's chair, sucking on what seemed to be a sucker. Hiei and sweets was something Kurama still couldn't understand.

Hiei grinned at Kurama's face, moving the sucker stick to the corner of his mouth. "Hello Kurama. Your mouth is open wide enough for me to stick the oaf's head inside it with room to spare for the detectives."

Kurama closed it quickly and Hiei chuckled, reaching back over his head to pull another sucker from Koenma's jar. "Hiei," Kurama said faintly. "Where have you been?"

"Hn…." Hiei rolled his eyes upward, thinking the simple question over as he peeled off the sucker's wrapper.

Kurama peered at Hiei through the screen. "It's a fairly simple question Hiei. One that we've been wondering for weeks. You didn't happen to bring Kiora back, did you?"

"No," Hiei uncrossed his feet from resting on the other side of the armchair to cross them the other way, sticking the second sucker in his mouth at the same time. His eyebrows twitched oddly, "I've been doing some diggings into the past…the way old past. Kurama, did you know that ice maidens had such things as mates and it was as acceptable as any other demon?"

"I…what?" Kurama glanced up at the screen, eyeing Hiei. "You spent four weeks looking **_that_** up? What about the mission?"

"Hn." Of course, Hiei thought, he has no idea where I'm going with this. "Never mind Kurama. But there is something that happened in Demon World that you would be interested in."

Kurama shook his head. "Information on the ice maidens can wait whatever it is. Where is Koenma?"

Hiei's eyes flickered off the screen. "…Potty break for the diaper king."

Kurama moved the communicator away from him so Hiei couldn't see what he was going to do. Did Hiei have any-_Thwack!_ Idea of how much-_Thwack!_ That comment sounded like-_Thwack!_ Yusuke or Kuwabara? -_Thwack!_ Kurama groaned at Hiei's behavior as he hit himself in the forehead with a schoolbook once more. Thwack! He sighed, rolling his eyes before picking up the communicator again to see Hiei muttering to himself.

"…no idea on why that stupid Goddess had to involve more damn people again. Between me and her…stupid tenth tr—Kurama? What'd you do to your forehead?"

Kurama rubbed his temples, "Nothing. May I talk to Koenma?"

Hiei's eyes flickered off the screen again. "He's busy at the moment. Want me to take a message for him?"

"No," Kurama massaged his temples even harder. "I'd rather talk to him myself. What's he busy with…? I'd rather I'd get permission myself to find and bring Kido up there instead of Botan like he wants to do."

"Koenma's taking a nap at the moment. And Kido's not important," Hiei said rather firmly as he grabbed another sucker from the jar.

"Hiei, would you explain what you're talking about? Kido is a lead to see more into this whole Shadowland deal. Kaito mentioned his family has been into shadow power things for a while, even before Kido received powers."

"Oh his family would be into shadows," Hiei said darkly as another sucker disappeared into his mouth. "As for me explaining it…I've been trying to. Wait, Koenma's waking up. Hello Koenma," Hiei said over pleasantly off of the screen as he threw a wrapped sucker from the jar at something in that direction. "How was that nap of yours on the lovely floor? And gimme that sucker back later, it's still good."

"Hiei! Where…? How? What? When did you get…? Hiei! Kurama!" Koenma's head popped up on the screen now as he pointed at Hiei. "Do you see it? Hiei's back! I hope I'm not hallucinating!"

Koenma reached over at Hiei, giving him a pinch on the cheek. Hiei's sword flashed at Koenma's throat. "Do that again and probation won't mean a damn to me." Koenma jumped up at the threat, chirping brightly, "It IS Hiei! No one else would make a threat like that! What happened to you? Wait, no! I got to bring up Yusuke and Kuwabara from their search to see this! Did you bring Kiora back with you?"

"No," Hiei scowled up at Koenma, putting his sword back inside its sheath.

"No matter, no matter!" Koenma bounced over to the screen, clicking a few buttons. "Yusuke! Kuwabara!" Their faces popped up next to Kurama's on the screen.

"Ya, whadda want now Koenma? I told your diapered butt that—Hiei! When'd he get back? If you had us searching for no reason, I'm gunna kill ya Koenma!"

"Shrimpy's back!"

"What about that girl?" Yusuke asked the group.

"Yeah, what about that girl? Did runty bring her back too?" Kuwabara asked as well.

"No…I haven't!" Hiei exploded. "Does every idiot today have to ask me that stupid question?"

"Hey…I'm no idiot half-pint!"

Yusuke chuckled. "Same old Hiei. At least I can get some sleep now and Keiko can no longer drag me to school everyday!"

"I thought you worked around her rules…." Kurama muttered. "Hiei was trying to explain something to me earlier. Perhaps we can all listen to what he was doing on his disappearance."

"No," Hiei said sullenly. "Not even five minutes of listening to this again makes me want to chop off that oaf's head."

"Why you…. Say that to my face Shrimp!"

"I'll make a portal!" Koenma said happily as if Hiei never spoke. "Now our chances have gone up with the team back again."

"Koenma…have you spent to much time with Botan? Her perkiness seems to have rubbed off on you," Yusuke raised an eyebrow at the Spirit World toddler.

Koenma clicked the view screens off. Hiei raised one eyebrow at the Prince of the Spirit World whom had left the room with an abnormal bounce to his step. Koenma has no idea of what he wants to fight against, Hiei thought incredulously as he threw three sticks into the garbage can one by one by one. "Stupids," Hiei muttered.

* * *

"Hey there Hiei," Yusuke greeted walking in. "Baby just may have a period or something with these mood swings…he's now grumping over how much time we got left. Plenty of time I say. Something like 47 weeks left he said."

"**I do not have a period!**" Koenma's face reddened as he followed Yusuke inside.

"Oh that's right. Babies are too young to have periods. My bad."

"**And I'm not a female either! Take your job seriously!**"

"Oh I am, it's just so hard when your boss is a baby in the diaper and binky," Yusuke plopped down on a chair, grinning as he looked over at Koenma again.

"Yusuke," Kurama toned slightly at the Spirit Detective, but a small smile twitched on his lips. "Now that's not very nice."

Kuwabara followed in, not listening to this conversation, but headed right over to the chair Hiei still sat in, waving a fist. "You say that to my face Shrimpy!"

"Hnnn, I've mocked you so many times now…what was it I said…?" Hiei pondered over this, tapping his chin as if it would help him remember.

"Why you…scrimpy little short-brained pipsqueak!"

Hiei blinked up at Kuwabara's face, pointing openly at him as he asked Kurama, "Does he even know what scrimpy means? Or what short-brained really means?"

"Try this one on for size Hiei! Minuscule! Undersized! Minute! Infinitesimal! Microscopic!" Kuwabara screamed all of these other forms of the word short at Hiei.

"Someone spreads WAY too much time around the school infested palace," Yusuke muttered, slouching down in his chair.

"Doubtless the fool needs it," Hiei replied to Yusuke's comment.

"Hiei, Kuwabara," Koenma suddenly stood with his small height in between the two. "We are here not to make up the insults from the past few weeks but to learn the information Hiei has found."

"That's right oaf," Hiei smirked, leaning back in Koenma's chair.

"And you Hiei…get off my chair."

Hiei pointed across the room onto the floor. "You forgot my sweet. (the sucker laying on the floor…my god) And I've been weeks without food, serve me some sweet snow if you want that information I found during that time."

"Blackmailer," Koenma said shortly. "Out of my chair."

"I'd be glad that it was just food he was asking for," Kurama muttered to himself.

Hiei's eyes widened. "I heard that. Never mind the food. I want me my old artifact back."

"Fine," Koenma grumbled. "You get the food, now off of my chair!"

Several minutes after Jorge had taken Hiei's orders of wanted food, Koenma had reclaimed his chair, both he and Kurama waiting for Hiei to speak through all the sweet snow he was chugging down. Kurama and Koenma glanced over to see Kuwabara give a big snore, his head rolling onto Yusuke's shoulder as they both snored on in their own little world.Hum... Kodiak moment there,Kurama smiled at the image. "Now," Hiei's voice suddenly spoke as he put the spoon down next to the empty gallon bucket that once held a form of sweet snow.

"This whole prophecy thing mentioned four other people. 'One will save, one with humor, one with normality, one with sense.'"

Kurama nodded. "Us four I do believe considering Yusuke, Kuwabara, and I could hear the prophecy words being spoken."

"Do you know the one each of us is referred to?" Hiei paused looking at Kurama. "I knew mine from the beginning and I mean the beginning."

Kurama and Koenma looked puzzled over this. "Well," Kurama said, "I figured that I was the one with sense, Yusuke is the most normal one of us all, and Kuwabara almost always proves a laugh in the most dangerous situations. But I couldn't really make sense of you being the one that will save, so I'm hoping I'm wrong on this."

"No," Hiei shook his head. "As usual fox, your right."

Koenma 'hupped' over from his chair. "Hiei? Save?"

Hiei glared over at the Spirit World Prince but really couldn't say anything on this account. Kurama reached over at Hiei. "Why not you just explain what you've been finding out about the prophecy?"

Hiei sparred a look at Koenma, then back at Kurama. "I could just name off the Shadowland War's causalities so far. How would that seem Koenma?" Hiei paused at Koenma's face. Take that Koenma, Hiei thought at getting back at Spirit World Prince about the small remarks from earlier. "Like I thought, you haven't told him. But first…some old information."

* * *

Silverwing013: Ah, we get interesting now. Looks like Hiei has been busy in the past few weeks doesn't it. Looks like a couple of our heroes are catching up on some sleep. Well, at lest the one solved his school problem…Kuwabara's getting behind though. Kido…gone. But he's not completely gone folks! Don't worry! Unfortunately…you can worry about most of the others that Spirit World has disappeared into Shadowland.

Niana Kuonji- nods in agreement about make-up. Anyway…ur probably about ready to seriously maim me for one of Shadowland's causalities. Ducks under the probable threats. As a matter of fact…several people are going to kill me for that. Ducks more threats. Shuichi's experiment is still on the go. Ha! He is a charmer.

_HieiFan666_- yes, Kurama gets mobbed. It fits perfectly. And it's very stressful to keep up that experiment. All the fan girls……… yeah, thanks for pointing that one out…that was one interesting typo I made…I think I'll leave it there though just to laugh at it when I reread through this story when it finishes. And no one can say this chappie wasn't interesting…I'm going to be seriously killed for the people on Shadowland's causalities. Killed I tell you.

_Kurayamihikari_- 5) shadow minions from Shadowland…the names of them fit. Yes, floating hands. 6) Yes, very against the point…which makes me laugh. 7) /-/sings/-/ Mr. Thing, Mr. Thing 8) hey, if something pops out of nowhere, there is gunna be one hellova reaction. Plus her fear of spirint energy is part of her deal-o with the prophecy… Sneaky, sneaky, yes she is. 9) we all luv creepy. 10) heh, heh, yeah the teachers. He's a charmer. Explain LMAO please.

Silverwing013: Next is Hiei's mine of information he found while away…what was it? And will Yusuke and Kuwabara have not an idea on the information because of their…lack of attention? Poor poor Kido. Poor everything. Hiei has pretty much said that a new Shadowland War has started up…'I could just name off the Shadowland War's causalities so far.' So all and all…things don't seem to be going so well now…do they?


	12. History

Silverwing013: 'pologies on the time period it took to do this. At least all our fall sports are now of tonight, over. Our fuseball guys suffered their first and last loss of the whole season. So, I'm back and badder than ever. I hope. Anyways, the ice maided history shall be revealed by Hiei himself. Though not nearly all of it. Do not question any demon attitudes in this chapter. It's not their fault how they act when someone returns to spirit world…. I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.

* * *

"I ran into the old village's historian after some time of searching for her. Most of the ice maidens have slowly left the village after I was born. Very hard to find them unless you aid in a small piece of help," Hiei grinned at Koenma indicating his forehead. 

But after a moment, the grin faded and Hiei glanced away from them.

"Hiei?" Kurama promted.

"Back at the beginning of the three worlds, before Netherworld, there was a certain…lack of energy begging to be used for the universe," Hiei propped his head up by one hand, clearly bored at speaking about the basic knowledge of the beginning.

Koenma nodded. "Yes, that's right. Gods and Goddesses were arguing for quite some time after that on what to do with the energy left over. That's when Shadowland was formed."

"Spirit World agreed on Shadowland?" Kurama asked Koenma.

"Well, no. The Shadow Goddess went behind everyone's backs without asking permission from King Enma the First. Nearly no one wanted such a clear place where only evil doings would leak into. Its why it's believed that none of the fighters came back. Every one of them had some sort of shadow lerking inside their hearts, a piece of misdoing. Toddlers, young children, teenagers escpically, and adults all the way up into old age could be trapped in Shadowland. But we've never seen a baby disappear inside of Shadowland."

Kurama leaned back on his chair thinking. "How do we solve this problem then? I've stolen in the past, as has Hiei, Yusuke hasn't exactly been picture perfect, and Kuwabara…you don't think it could be Kuwabara? With his strong sense of the honor system for doing the right deeds for all?"

Hiei rolled his eyes the smallest amount he would allow himself. "We've all killed. Besides, I told you that you were right before," Hiei angled his head away from Koenma and Kurama to grumble to himself. "I'm the one to save the stupid three worlds."

"You're on probation Hiei," Koenma reminded him.

"That don't mean anything if there's no three worlds with no Spirit World to keep watch over me," Hiei snapped slightly with no real threat laced in those words.

Hiei sighed up at the ceiling. "It goes back to my heritage. I was trying to explain it to Kurama earlier."

* * *

Journal Entry 

YES, YES, YES! I'm finished with all that training! It's true I still have several shadow powers to learn yet, at least Kasatto says so. But this is so awsome! I can shadow portal myself anywhere I want! And I got Mekka's neat little shadow power too! I had it before but now I have full use and control over them. And my psychic thing (hey, tree boy called me a psychic, not me) is pretty much down pat. If I want to go and talk to my mom, I just shadow portal myself over with a zooooom! Then I'm able to talk to her even though I can't see her. It's so wonderful to talk to my mother again! If we are too lazy to go up and grab food when we're talking, I can just shadow portal over some food from the fridge with a zoooooom! I partically enjoy just sitting in the yard using the invisablity so I can see the animals around me (even if the racoons and possums don't live too long if I see them near the house). I'm in such a great mood! I've been thinking lately of Mr. Thing, tree boy, cat guy, and even that annoying rude guy. Maybe I'll go pay them a nice little visit from my training. It's not like they can kidnap me again if I can shadow portal of my own will now. Ha! It serves them right!

* * *

"Like I said, the ice maidens didn't keep to themselves in the past. They had mates like any other demon. It was the son of an ice maiden whom made an alliance with the Shadowland Goddess. The historian said the name wasn't passed down to her knowledge, so don't go asking me if I know. This demon alliance forged over to the rest of them so that since then, anyone of ice decent can see the Shadow Minions as long as the st—" 

"That's why you can see them," Kurama mused out loud.

Koenma looked at Hiei. "Hummm. Seems as if there's quite a bit of information missing in the files from that period. How did you find someone that this was passed down to through hundreds, maybe thousands or millions of generations that knew all of this without it being passed through Spirit World?"

Hiei glared over at Koenma. "Ice maidens are proud and fircly protective of their heritage which is why they never mated again after Shadowland's downfall or openly told Spirit World their history about this. Ask Yukina why she wears that kimono and see if you find _one_ answer from her."

"Point taken Hiei," Kurama told him. "Continue?"

"Hn!" Hiei crossed his arms angerily. "As long as the stone that the Shadowland Goddess was in the hands of her allaince or another of his kind. An ice maiden since there are no males except for me."

"Uh…Hiei?" The heads whipped over to see a half awake Kuwabara as Yusuke snored on. "If you're the only male then doesn't that mean…" Kuwabara frowned thinking before it hit him to stare wide eyed at Hiei. "You're Yukina's brother? _You_?"

Kuwabara seemed in disbelief that Hiei was Yukina's brother. Hiei grunted slightly at nothing to suddenly turn and snap at Kuwabara, "Stupid oaf! It was obvious with anyone with half a brain! Not that you had them to figure such a thing out…. Why in the hell do you think several people smarter than you get a kick out of calling me a Forbidden Child? Idiot," Hiei huffed out the last word as he snapped his attention back to Kurama and Koenma.

'_Kurama? Got any of that pollen left over I can borrow on the oaf?'_

'_Kuwabara thinks he's having a nightmare. Look back over at him Hiei.'_

Hiei sneeked a look at the corner of his eyes to see Kuwabara muttering himself to sleep with a terrified, twisted face of a gross out level that rated a 23 in the Kuwabara books. "Can't be…nightmare…how can Runty be related to my sweet innocent Yukina? Impossible…can't be true…no…nightmare…twisted nightmare…gross…sick…wrong."

'_Heh, stupid fool still.'_

"Hiei," Koenma said sharply. "Mind telling us more without giving Kuwabara nightmares?"

"Hn. Well the reason ice maidens stopped mating was that it was told that the next male born would harbor th—" Hiei quickly stopped talking, bitting down on his tounge.

"The next person that would save the three worlds from Shadowland? I'm guessing that the traitor was the allaince made with Shadowland in which this ice guy betrayed the Shadow Goddess," Kurama spoke for Hiei in a guess.

Hiei nodded mutely. "The thought was to completely stop the next Shadowland War from happening. So the every male sacrificed himself of his own will and the ice maidens made it a number one prioity to never mix with any other demons. They isolated themselves on an island. But then there was…me," Hiei spoke strangely at this point.

"So you believe yourself to be the one who saves?" Koenma asked. "I thought Yusuke would be more suited to that one. Or Kuwabara."

Hiei shrugged his shoulders. "Kuwabara would probably be the only one of us to last the longest. But I doubt the oaf is the one. There's an I.Q. listing for that and his brain doesn't make the cut."

Kurama frowned. "Why would Kuwabara be the one to last the longest? I personally favored Yusuke more to be the hero again."

Hiei shook his head. "Most demons would be more affected than humans. The shadows from Shadowland are still in Demon World from that allaince. They've only touched Human World and Spirit World slightly," Hiei grinned. "I got that information right from the sorce. Hakku, some Shadow Minion that's only about four or five inches tall. Said something like they were only formed for use by the demon alliance and not for the original Goddess. None to loyal of his kind to that human girl."

Kurama rubbed a temple before tapping his chin. "All that information…. That's useful if it's all true. We'll have more knowledge about Shadowland and defeating it if it is."

Hiei starred at Kurama for a while before a quick nod.

"That stone…" Koenma muttered. "I'm sure I've heard something about it."

Kurama brightened. "I've seen that stone before! I didn't realize til now."

Hiei and Koenma turned to Kurama whom spoke eagerly with a glint in his eyes. "It's the rumored Dark Heart Stone. Kuronue and I heard so many stories about that as children and as theives. Supposed to be one powerful stone. We stole it from the ice maidens maybe a century or two ago when we were in our prime. Pretty tough one to get with all the rumors flying about it. But," Kurama's brightness dimmed down.

Koenma muttered off to the side _"Only a thief"_, before Kurama continued.

"...it never worked. We never got it to work. In the end we practically handed it back to the ice maidens through a…hum…never thought about that before. Kuronue gave it to a fire demon whom he asked to return it shortly before his…death. It's possible and very likely that with those ice maidens it took a few years to finally get up there. Then upon seeing ice maidens that normal demons never got to look at…I think we handed it right to Hiei's father."

Hiei looked startled from glancing over at the doors a few seconds ago. "My fathe—"

'_Hi everyone! Mr. Thing, what's with you still having your hand like that? Come here and I'll fix it in payment of being the nicest kidnapper I've ever met.'_

'_Kiora?'_

'_Mr. Thing, do you want that hand fixed or what? Or maybe I should make ya'll invisible so I can see ya!'_

'_Just the hand please,' _Kurama answered quickly in sticking out his hand._ 'What brings you back?'_

Kiora's hand glowed black as she held it in Kurama's hand, bringing the once invisible hand back to visible as the blackness slowly and carefully covered his missing hand stump. _'Training. I've got two shadow powers down pat. There. Finished.'_

'_Training? Why would you train with what you know about the prophecy?'_ Kurama asked, shaking his hand in relief.

'_So I don't use them by accident stupid. Besides, now I can't be kidnapped! Shadow portals, …way cool.'_ Kiora grinned, her body seeped in black, disappeared in that quick grin.

"Where'd she go?" Koenma cried out. "If she'd come back I thought she'd stay around a bit longer than that! I needed to talk to her about her protection!"

"Eh? What's all the hellabullo about?" Yusuke stretched up to glance around the room.

"I'll tell you the story later Yusuke when you're more awake, but Kiora was just here," Kurama explained with a barely noticible 'idiot' attached to the end of his sentence, muttered under his breath.

"She was? How'd I miss her?"

"Not to mention if she really is out to destory all three worlds if she's off training! She didn't exactly write well of me in that note she left the first time she disappeared! And Hiei!" Koenma glared at Hiei in his rant. "Would you care to explain that smirk about this?"

Hiei smirked at the Spirit World Prince more widely with the audience turning toward him. "Hn."

"Don't tell me you're going to help the girl with destorying the three worlds!" Koenma sputtered out in a flare of anger.

"Hn. No. It's just…." Hiei paused at Koenma's red face. "She's waiting in her room for the PMS Prince to come along."

Koenma starred confused at Hiei. "P.M.S. Prince? Who are you talking about Hiei? Was that part of what you found? She has some guy from the past as well waiting for her as another reincarnation?" Koenma looked even more puzzled. "Prince?"

Yusuke burst out laughing at the confused Spirit World ruler. "That musta been some wacked up tale you were spinning Hiei if he's taking it this way! Gotta say it's lots better to pull one up and over the toddler face!" Yusuke slapped Hiei on the back.

"Don't touch me," Hiei simply told Yusuke before walking out.

"You're behavior put together with Hiei's sometimes is going to knock the both of you under trail for _death_ if you go too far," Kurama told Yusuke before following Hiei out the room with a pause. "Koenma? Perhaps if you don't want to be called a _female_ again, I suggest you prove it _crudely_ to them or just _kill_ them. Personally…I'm getting _dead_ sick of Hiei throwing acts around. He's hidding something again. I'll get it from him if it's the last thing I do."

"PMS Prince…. HHHHHIEIIIII! YOU'RE FACING MORE YEARS OF PROBATION IF YOU DARE INSULT THE PERSON WHOM PLACED IT ON YOU!"

"Personally, I agree with Hiei," Yusuke said out loud. Big mistake.

"YOU…AGREE! I'LL SHOW YOU MY DAMN BIRTH CERTIFICATE IF I HAVE TO! BUT FIRST…I BELIEVE A DOUBLE MISSION IS IN ORDER! YUSUKE, GET BACK HERE!"

"MAYBE WHEN YOUR PISSED MOOD IS TONED DOWN, YOU PMSer!"

We turn away from Koenma attempting to attack Yusuke to see our lovely Kuwabara left behind the rest of the group still on the couch. His wide eyes tell it all…. He doesn't want to know what's going on with his friends' behaviors.

* * *

"Hn. Told you Kuwabara would last the longest," Hiei muttered. "Glad I'm not as affected." 

"Explain what you mean," Kurama asked.

"The shadows lerk more in Demon World more than the other three worlds. Demons…are more affected to the shadows. Kurama? Take a look in a mirror," Hiei leaned back on his bed. Kurama shot him a questioning look before strolling over to Hiei's bathroom.

"What exactly am I supposed to be seeing?"

Hiei sighed, rolling his eyes at the fox's question. "The effects of being around that girl. Tell me what you see fox."

"Red hair. White skin. A nose. A mouth. My ears. My eyes. My eyeb-b-b-b-brows…WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH MY EYES!" Kurama raced out of the bathroom, using two fingers to make his eye bigger and easily seen to Hiei. "TELL ME THEY'RE GREEN!"

Hiei glanced up, speaking loud enough and slow enough for the frenzied fox to hear. "They're purple."

"NO! THEY CAN'T BE PURPLE! THEY'RE GREEN! GREEN, GREEN, GREEN!" Kurama turned with a deep breath. "Green... Not purple, not purple. A nice beautiful green without a speck of pur--"

"Face it fox. They're purple."

Kurama gave up, slotching down on a nearby chair. "It's one thing to explain a missing hand, but how can I pass off this one? Why are they purple in the first place? Gold I would understand, but purple?"

"Hn. How would I know fox?"

Kurama stood up, pacing the room. "You claim it's because of some effects of Kiora. Was it some result in getting my hand back? Wait no. Demons are more affected. That's what you said earlier. Affected to what exactly?"

"…"

"Hiei! I know you know! You know more than you're letting on! Affected to what?"

"…hn."

"Hiei, don't think I won't pry it out of you."

"…It's none of your business what I know. It's none of anyone's business because _I am the **orginal**_. And you, you stupid fox, don't have any place in knowing what is my business. Nor have you earned it. Fish around the record books all you want, but my knowlegde is NO ONE'S BUSINESS. End of story. Now out of my room. I believe Yusuke will need you shortly."

Kurama stood straight at the doorway. "I'm going to find out Hiei. I'd rather you'd tell me yourself. Teammate to teammate."

"Hn. Teammate," Hiei scoffed as Kurama left, grinning as he himself left the room.

* * *

Kurama leaned down to look more properly at Yusuke's eyes. He blinked at the color Yusuke's had taken. 

"What are you starring at Kurama? And why are your eyes purple?"

Kurama backed away from inspecting Yusuke's eyes. "Because Yusuke…you're eyes are now a very, very, bright orange."

Yusuke snorted. "Yeah right."

"Urameshi. He's right. Does this have to do on how you guys were acting?" Kuwabara spoke from the couch he still laid on.

Kurama nodded a yes.

"You guys are pulling one over me now," Yusuke glared at the two. "Just like after the four Saint Beasts were destroyed."

Botan bounced inside the room. "All done Koenma! All souls have been delievered safe and so- AHHH!" The bubbly blue head fell over as she pointed at Yusuke's face. She then giggled into her hand. "I'm sorry, that just looks so hillarious! What's with the orange colored contacts Yusuke?"

"Fine already! I'll bite at the joke!" Yusuke picked up the used spoon that Hiei had been eating off of to see his reflection in the back of it.

"WHAT THE HELL!"

* * *

In her room, Kiora sighed, looking questionably at the spirit world door in the midst of her white, white, white room. It seriously couldn't take them this long to realize where she is. Oh well. Kiora heaved a shrug, casually sending each object in the room one-by-one to the corner of the room with her shadow portal. Not nearly this long... Kiora pushed herself off the bed finally, shadow portal sending all objects now gathered in the corner back to their original places as she opened the door to run into tree guy's itchy feeling. Keeping a good grasp on him, she willed him to be seen to her eyes, clearly making him invisible to every other normal person. 

Hiei stared at her mutely.

Keeping his hand wrapped around hers.

Okay, weird. "Tree guy, what exactly do you want?"

A slow grin spread across Hiei's mouth.

"I'll just shadow port right out of here again," Kiora threatened. "And I know you guys need me for that whole mission dealy. So kindly let me go tree boy."

Hiei mearly smirked at her, tightening his grip around her hand. Leaning over so his mouth was only a hair width from her ear, he whispered into her ear.

"I don't share their same mission, _Kee-oar-a_," he stressed each small peice of her name.

Kiora tugged away from him, the closeness freaking her out as he held on. Her eyes widened as she realized she couldn't shadow port...herself or anything.

Hiei leaned toward her again. "It's time we go on _**my**_ turf."

* * *

Silverwing013: Eyes…? Weird behavior…? Explained later as will everything else. 

HieiFan666- Hiei, save? Yes, according to him. Ice maiden history…there it is. Makes sense, ne? If no one wanted another shadowland war…I can easily see the males all sacrificing their lives. Update…soon…? Yep, so didn't happen. Busy fall seasons up here at my school. Sorry, I got to it though. And, has ur yahoo went down? I believe I sent that next chapter of The Forbidden Hunters for you to look at. If ya don't get back to me within the week, I'll post it up anyway and wait til the next one. I hate not being able to stick that chappie up. Talk later!

Jin-ashi- go u! I so did not update soon…. Am I forgiven on this account? Fall sports are over now and the play is this weekend and then the end of the trimester…… so, right after that I'll have time to do more things…if my family doesn't drag me into christmas occasions too much.

Silverwing013: Next…ha! It's my surprise to withold that info this time!


	13. Keepsakes

Silverwing013: Simple and sweet. I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I merely own this idea from my head that formed to a story.

* * *

"Are you quite over yourself yet Yusuke?" Koenma regarded his Spirit detective wryly.

"**NO** YOU BINKY SUCKING, FRICKEN PMSER! MY DAMN EYES ARE FUCKING **ORANGE**! **ORANGE!** THEY LIKE, _GLOW IN THE DARK_!" Yusuke screamed down at the toddler prince.

Koenma sighed. "It's not nearly that bad Yusuke," Koenma reached upward to flicker a switch on the wall. "O-kaaaaaay…maybe it is."

"HOLY JESUS URAMESHI! THEY **DO** GLOW IN THE DARK! AND SO DO KURAMA'S!"

Koenma flickered the lights back on as Botan clapped her hands together in glee. The guys left in the room starred at her. "Yusuke! The eyes are super! What's with the new demon qualities?"

"They're not demon qualities. They're compliments of Shadowland…or according to Hiei, Kiora just simply being up here near us. Though, I don't feel odd anymore," Kurama blinked at the realization. "She is in her room, right?"

"Uh…I…I uh…really didn't…check that…." Koenma stuttered.

Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama looked at each other at once, rushing out the door.

"Yep…not here. What's new? I really must hate this girl," Yusuke announced the second they reached the door.

"Get the shrimp to find her!"

Yusuke did a double take at Kuwabara. "…Yanno, that's the smartest thing I've heard you say. Let's go grab three eyes."

"Urameshi!"

"Kuwabara…let's just find Kiora at the moment," Kurama placed a hand on Kuwabara's shoulder.

Kuwabara nodded. "Right." Kuwabara and Kurama trooped down the hallway where their 'living area' was. The living area was comprised of one long hallway with five bedrooms each with a small bathroom (toilet, sink, mirror-mostly for if anyone woke in the middle of the night), the recreation room, kitchen, training area (hey, they were the spirit world team), the large bathroom (toilet, sink, mirror cabinet, shower, washer, dryer, cupboards for various needs to be held in, and the hot tube area where windows were nearby to let the steam out (or a person out as we all know now)), a gaming room (mostly so Yusuke and Kuwabara would stop pestering Koenma about it)

"Yo, Hiei's not in his room. But, Kurama, do want to explain this?" Yusuke popped his head outside the black door.

"Explain wh-a-a-at…?" Kurama trailed off the question as he looked inside the room.

Pictures upon pictures simply covered the floor. Yusuke picked a few up at random, reading names off of the backs of them. "Akio, Keiji Fujiwara, Romi Pak, Tomoyuki Shimura, Hakku, Makoto Urameshi…freaky that one…kinda looks like me too. What's with all these pictures anyway? They're all printed off fricken old paper." 

"Hey Urameshi! Look at this one!" Kuwabara shoved it into Yusuke's hands. "These few right here are all new."

Kurama gave a small jump as he looked at them.

"What is it Kurama? Ya look a little pale," Yusuke commented.

Indeed, Kurama looked very pale. "Oh, I know that one there," Kurama said as he pointed to one of them.

Yusuke wolf whistled. "That is one hot f-o-o-o-x…." Yusuke stopped, flipping the picture to read the name. "Kurama, your mom is **_hot_**."

"Yeah Kurama! No wonder you look so gorgeous!" Kuwabara spoke up. Then his eyes got huge as he looked over at Kurama. "Not that I'm like that…. But…jezz! Wish some of these traits attacked my sister. She ain't pretty to look at."

"…And neither are you," Yusuke sweat dropped at Kuwabara, before they both returned to the picture. "Fricken sex goddess…. Sex demoness I mean. Looks like a Goddess though, especially with her br—"

"That's not the point Yusuke. Why does Hiei have a picture of her? And the rest of these?" Kurama interrupted the dialogue with Yusuke's gutter balled mind.

"But Kurama, look at her. She's…"

"Yes Yusuke, I know." Kurama rolled his eyes as Yusuke continued.

"…She's _smoking_ **sexy**!"

"Let's move on and find Hiei to find Kiora please," Kurama walked out of the room, leaving Yusuke and Kuwabara to goggle over the picture.

* * *

"TREE BOY! YOU…YOU…YOU'RE A COMPLETE ASS! YEAH! THAT'S RIGHT! YOU HEARD ME!" Kiora stood screaming into the dark forest area around her.

Breathing hard, she stomped forward, tired of wandering around like a lost idiot in this place. Everything kind of went black back with tree boy and she had woken up what felt like seven hours ago in _this_ place. Because of how the place looked, she had been quiet until this point, unwilling to attract anything. A massive tree moved, revealing it had a rough, withered, old face upon it.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Kiora ran backwards, away from the tree looking at her.

It's tree root lifted upward from the ground, causing her to fall over backwards.

"Umph! My head…. Stupid tree root," Kiora glared down at the tree root that sunk back down in the ground already.

"What's a human like yourself doing here?" A scratchy voice asked her, the tree leaning forward to see her better. Kiora jumped at the noise, starring openly at the speaking demon tree. "You don't seem the type to brave a place such as this or be one of the Spirit World's lackeys."

"LIKE HELL I WORK FOR SPIRIT WORLD AFTER HOW THEY'VE TREATED ME!" Kiora screamed at the mere suggestion of her working for Spirit World.

"Ah, what did you do to get that group riled up?" The scratchy voice asked questionably, the tree seemed truly curious. "Half breed of some sort? Crime? Murder someone?"

"No…ah." Kiora stopped, pausing. "Ya know, never thought of that one. But that's not the reason. More like it seems I hold the power to destroy all three worlds. So they frickin' kidnapped me. Then tree boy hauled me up here and I can't even use my own power. I bet he did something to me earlier. AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET OUT OF THIS PLACE! NOW YOU TREE HOGGER!"

There was a pause at the end of her statement. Then, "I can see you really hate them, but I wouldn't suggest you yell out your position around here."

"Oh, right. Sorry. The place does hold the evil word to the top. Where am I anyway?" Kiora glanced around the area as she sat in front of the tree upon the forest floor.

"Not the best place for someone like yourself. Yukio simply loves the taste of humans and not many willingly enter his domain. But," the tree paused, "if the Spirit World wants you for that much power…you'll become a top of the name keepsake."

"Eats humans does he? Well, I don't come easily. Huh? …What do you mean by keepsake?"

"Yukio's infamous keepsakes. Captures, cages, forces them to fight other opponents for power and riches, and unlucky for you…. Well, lets say the strong female keepsakes prove to be fun…for him."

"Great. My life has been real great lately," Kiora muttered to herself. "Could you kindly point the way out for me?"

The old tree chuckled. "I only know of what others have told me, I can't move from this spot. How'd an old demon tree like myself know about the rest of the world? From people passing by. None would bother to give _me_ directions out. You are an interesting one. What is your name?"

"Oh! How rude of me! Kiora Anei Shukun. Just call me Kiora though. How about you? What's your name?"

"Yoshi. Why didn't you say who you were before?" The tree was giving her another look over as Kiora still sat in front of him.

"Slipped my mind…. A talking tree will do that for me. Never met one before. You're awful nice for a demon. I guess people really do stereotype."

"You're name…. Who are you really? The Shadow Goddess?"

"Eh'! Gods no! But according to everyone lately…uh, I don't want to go there. I'm my own person, not some reincarnate of this evil Shadow Goddess."

Yoshi rustled his leaves in the canopy. "…I see. Then you must forgive me for not giving you proper respect. Let me help you rest."

"What? No, that's not necess-aaaarrryyyy!" Kiora managed out the rest of the word as one of Yoshi's limbs lifted her up into the air. She stared grumpily at Yoshi. "You didn't have to do that ya know."

"It's probably much better than looking up at me as you talk," Yoshi answered.

The trees rustled around them and Yoshi smiled. "Ah, here he comes now."

"Who? A friend of yours?" Kiora craned her neck around, looking for who was coming.

"And it seems he holds company," Yoshi said ignoring her question.

Kiora finally spotted whom Yoshi was talking about as two demons walked up to the demon tree. She attempted jumping down from Yoshi's branch wrapped around her but failed, thrashing around as she saw the shorter of the two smirk up at her. "TREE BOY! YOUR GUNNA PAY! WHAT IN THE FOUR WORLDS DID YOU DO WITH MY SHADOW POWER? IT TOOK ME A NICE LOOOONG MONTH TO GET THOSE POWERS TRAINED INTO ME! YOU KNOW HOW FRUSTRATING THAT IS? YOU…ARE…SUCH…AN…ASS! YOSHI, LET GO OF ME! I WANNA KNOCK THAT SMIRK RIGHT OFF OF HIS FACE! NOTHING LIFE THREATENING…UNLESS HE…HE…. WHY THE HELL CAN I SEE AND HEAR YOSHI? AND SEE THAT GUY NEXT TO YOU? WHAT IN THE HELL DID YOU DO TO ME TREE BOY?"

"Shut up," Hiei replied. "That screeching is doing damage to my ears. As for what I did to you…well, it was only what one of your own shadow minions did to you."

It was then Kiora noticed that there was the smallest shadow minion she had ever seen sitting on Hiei's shoulder. "Why would they do that?"

The shadow minion spoke up. "Because miss, your favorite saying was 'love is war'."

Kiora blinked. "And what is meant by that? I'm not the Shadow Goddess. I. Am. Kiora. Anei. Shukun."

"I'm but sorry miss, but do you even realize what your name means?"

"It's _my_ name!" Kiora said defensively.

"Kiora, Celtic or Gaelic name for little and dark. Anei, Japanese for shadow or perhaps gloom. Shukun, Japanese for lord or master. Kiora Anei Shukun. In a nutshell means the little dark shadow master. You are the Shadow Goddess. Maybe not her exactly, but you will follow her path, little one."

"THE HELL I'LL FOLLOW IT! SHE TRIED TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD AND DESTROY THE OTHERS! IF YA WANT TO TALK ABOUT **LOVE**, I AIN'T DESTROYING THE THREE WORLDS BECAUSE I MADE A **PROMISE** TO MY **MOTHER**! KOENMA GETS NO TRUE PROMISE FROM ME!" Kiora struggled in Yoshi's grasp. "Let go of me! I can't believe I believed a demon to be nice after tree boy!"

Hiei turned to the man next to him, us seeing that it was a kitsune. Shoulder length silver hair ran wild around his twitching fox ears to the noise around him, a raged tank top that was a faded red hung loosely around his built chest, loose looking sweat pants hung around his slim waist, cuts making them appear the length of a Capri, bare feet stood on the ground, pale skin shone as much as his silver hair, lack of a tan obvious as this forest was completely dark, light golden eyes stared Kiora over with an awful glint in them, a smirk wrapping his tight lips. "Yukio, this is her."

"YUKIO!" Kiora screamed, staring at the demon fox before glaring at Yoshi. "I thought you didn't like this guy…."

"I never said I did."

"GAH'! CAN'T ANYONE TALK STRAIGHT THESE DAYS! Oh…wow," Kiora's eyes widened in realization. "That sounded just plain wrong now that I think upon that…."

"Hn! As you can see…she's a bit of a handful," Hiei spoke to Yukio as the fox continued to keep his eyes on her.

The smirk wrapped wider upon his tight lips, licking the corner of his mouth with the tip of his tongue. "Yes…yes. I can see that," Yukio placed a hand on his slim waist arrogantly, keeping his gleaming look upon Kiora. "Yoshi."

The old demon tree lifted his head in the acknowledgement.

"Bring her closer for me," Yukio shook his head in an attempt to get his wild hair from his eyes as Yoshi lowered his limb. Kiora glared at the fox, a hateful look thrown at Hiei as the gleam overtook his golden eyes again with a lick of his lips.

"Yes…yes." Yukio stretched pale fingers up, softly tracing her skin from her forehead…down along her cheekbone, tucking stray wisps behind her ear as she glared spitefully upon him. He chuckled with a fine little smirk, following her down her jaw line to cup her chin in his hand so as to lift her face to his.

"Yes…yes…a she's a fine one ain't she? A fine, fine keepsake…." Yukio paused in his murmurings, lifting her head up to his, breathing her smell in. "Very fine…her smell…it's of a springtime breeze…and the bloodlust simply dripping off of her…this keepsake makes even me grow a bit chilly…the shadows I suspect…and the last smell…such a sweet smell…fine sweet sugar smell…."

Hiei jerked his head up in Yukio's mutterings, taking a curious look at Kiora at the mention of sugar.

"…Why do you smell so…intoxicating?" Yukio caressed his index and middle finger across her upper lip.

Kiora snapped.

Yukio looked her right in the eye to see Kiora glaring hatefully right back at him as she ground her teeth farther into his pale skin, drawing a thin stream of light red blood down his fingers. He burst out laughing. "Defiant too! Excellent, excellent! This keepsake is going to cost me, won't it Hiei? What is the payment?" Yukio turned toward Hiei, not worrying the least about the teeth clamped firmly down on his fingers.

"PAYMENT! I'M NOT SOMETHING FOR SALE LIKE A **DOG**!" Kiora screamed at the two, letting go of Yukio's finger.

"Even a dog makes less noise than you. Besides, some dogs are given away for free because the last owners clearly didn't want the annoyance," Hiei snapped over at her.

"YOU **ASS**!" Kiora's voice rang through the forest.

* * *

"Hm?" Kurama looked up from the stack of pictures in front of him as he heard his bedroom door squeak open. "Hiei. May I ask what is up with all these pictures? And Koenma wants to properly speak with Kiora if you can manage to find her, she's off the charts again and they can't find her. I…we…also want answers to the whole eye business earlier today."

"Fox," Hiei narrowed his eyes, "what gave you invite to take things from my room?"

Kurama simply held up one of the newer pictures, the one picture of his mother.

"Ah…." Hiei took the picture from Kurama's newly visible hand. "I see…."

"So Hiei. What is up with all these pictures?" Kurama thumbed through the other pictures in the stack he was holding.

"Those? Those make up the 'victims' you could say sadly enough Kurama."

"Huh? Run that by me again."

"These are all the people that have been to Shadowland for the first Shadowland War and the starting of the Second Shadowland War. Kurama? Did Koenma not tell you anything yet? I've known it for weeks."

Kurama paled, given Hiei full attention. "Tell me what…?"

"Your mom isn't technically alive anymore Kurama. Shadowland has her. What? Are you surprised?" Hiei looked at the frozen form of Kurama. "Your mother produced one of the greatest thieves known to demon kind, Shadowland stealing her into their land is a compliment. I'd think you'd thank them if anything. I thought you hated her because of how she treated you with the rest of the litter, with you the runt and all…."

Kurama glared up at Hiei. "Hate never runs far when you're speaking about my mother. I merely…disliked her."

Hiei tuh'ed at Kurama. "You steal from your own mother and call it up on just dislike?"

"Not the point Hiei. Where is she right now if she's not technically alive?"

"I can't bring you to her."

Kurama gave Hiei a look.

"I mean," Hiei, said quickly, "You can't go where she is unless Kiora brings you there or you yourself suckers a shadow minion stupid enough to bring you there. Kiora is not here and you can't see shadow minions. She's in Shadowland." Hiei gave it a pause sighing. "And as Koenma says, there is no way to return from there."

Kurama stood up. "I think I need a talk with Koenma," he strutted past Hiei clenching his fists.

"Yes, yes," Hiei muttered. "You do that fox. Just don't dig yourself in too deep. I've already done so and it's a miracle I haven't been taken by Shadowland yet."

* * *

Silverwing013: So there's this chappie. Kiora's name is explained. And no…Hiei did not rape her. Good god…this is Hiei we are talking about. He'd freak out even if his own sister gave him a hug or held his hand. He merely…well, he kind of sold her as you all saw.

Anonymouse- evil yes. but hey, we know that this is one of the stories I fret about updating. (this and the other being The Forbidden Hunters but that's another story) so yeah, it is updated.

pinkwitch1- greetings to one pink witch. I see your having perticular fun reading over some of my stories. I luv the reviews! Except the one in which I was called pretty much a bitch………………… But yeah! Glad to see a new reviewer enjoying my stories that much! Okay, the rape thing was a bit much…when he said turf, it was ment as demon world. Techically Hiei could be thrown off probation and into jail if Koenma found out, but Koenma was too busy searching for Kiora.

HieiFan666- thank you, thank you. Yes, they were all acting weird but Hiei kiss someone…? Well, take that back. This thing is labeled under romance…it's just not the romance anyone would expect with how I start it. …nah, I won't give it away yet. And for Forbidden Hunters, I smack myself for the JEL part…it sounds like lives instead of lies on the radio commercials I have heard. And I did change some of it…I didn't see a lot of changes made in jin's dialouge, so I made the few I noticed.

Silverwing013: Upcoming…will Kiora escape? And has anyone been keeping up with the timeline for my story? Valentine's Day…clue in…. So yes, humor upcoming. Sabishii reenters.


	14. Valentine

Silverwing013: Once more, more news on Shadowland Blind! We have a visitor today that no one has seen for a while! I disclaim all rights to Yu Yu Hakusho...not to my story tho.

* * *

The doors to the Spirit World office banged open, echoing more against the chaos proceeding inside the room of ogres rushing about with stacks and forms, a group of spirit world fairies gathered around the desk as they argued back and forth with each other as well as the person in the chair. Ignoring everything else in the room, Kurama directed his sights on a flustercated toddler sitting behind the chaotic mess. Stopping before the desk, he starred evenly down at the Prince of Spirit World, eye twitching as he waited to see how long it would take the small child king to notice him.

"But Koenma sir, you can't imagine all the trouble this is going to cause down in the Hu-"

"Koenma! The demons penetrating past the-"

"There's too many of them messing up t-"

"All those lower class demons are crossing over as fast as they can-"

"Upper class are trying to interfere into the Human Realm as well! Koenma sir!"

"What are you going to do Koenma sir?"

"How are we supposed to do our jobs with all the demons interfering insid-"

"Quiet!" Koenma roared at their babbling as he turned to look upward at Kurama, noticing the red head a few seconds ago before his desk. "Kurama, you see my problem here, could you run and grab Yusuke to put a stopper in all the demons crossing over to Human World?"

The girls around Koenma nodded fiercely, saying that this many demons were affecting the balance between worlds. Kurama continued to stare at Koenma, Koenma gulping as he realized what had happened. Kurama leaned forward on the desk as Koenma fidgeted around with his pacifier. "Koenma, you see my problem here, mind telling me why it was none of my business to know that my own mother seems to be a P.O.W.?"

"A...a pow? I fail to see wh--"

"Prisoner of war," Kurama said shortly. "Don't mess around with me. I'm annoyed enough these days. Now you tell me so I can hear from a better vocal cord than Hiei's about where exactly my mother is."

Koenma sat up in his seat at these words, motioning Kurama to sit which the red head declined with a tight motion of his head. "Very well. Before I say, am I allowed to ask how Hiei knows? Botan only slipped her mouth around Yusuke and Kuwabara."

"Hiei knows more than he's letting on. I'll push on that subject later. Right now, my mother Koenma."

"Very well, very well," Koenma said before speeding it up as he noticed Kurama's eyebrow twitch from the repeated words. "Your mother among others in the Demon World Plane have disappeared, giving off readings that they are inside Shadowland but the readings won't say anything if these prisoners are in fact...alive."

Kurama starred at Koenma mutely before speaking. "Then I request permission of a portal to Shadowland. Do not tell me you can not send a portal there if you have readings on the place."

"I can not do that Kurama. Portals to that area are strictly forbidden," Koenma spoke quickly as he backed away from Kurama's piercing eyes. "Not even my father is allowed permission. We are only allowed readings on the place in times of need such as this."

"Then...break...the...damn...rules," Kurama hissed at the toddler.

"I will not break the rules for you Kurama. Your head is not thinking clearly. I, however, am. This is war. You said it before and it is, in fact, a war. The Second Shadowland War. It makes no difference if your demon mother is trapped inside Shadowland, it will make no difference if I myself am captured. The only difference we are striving for is to stop this war from progressing farther than it is. Keeping an eye on that girl Kiora is number one priority for Spirit World. She will be a necessary factor being played inside this war, it is better that she lean more toward our side than the side where her shadow powers originate from in the first place."

Kurama blinked at Koenma's strong words, knowing full well at this point that it was Koenma he was talking to, for this was a true prince's upbringing rising up to the surface right now as well as a need to keep his trusty team safe until the final fight he knew would occur with Yusuke being on the team. Despite any small feelings toward his demon mother or the fact that Shadowland had just struck that close to him, Kurama knew it was for the best and leaned away from the desk in releasing some of the tension in his muscles. He nodded at the Prince of Spirit World mutely, turning to leave the frantic volume of the room now yanked back up to his ears on full volume.

"I'll tell Yusuke."

Koenma sighed, relaxing with a slump back down on his chair, pressing a hand to his forehead as Kurama left. "Thank god it wasn't his human mother."

His eyes looked back at the group of girls hanging around his desk. "The Urameshi Team is on it! Get back to work everyone!" The girls jumped, bowing at him as they left, ogres leaving quickly to leave Koenma starring at the two people still standing inside the room. "What do you want you two?"

"Magnificent Koenma!" Cried the blue haired bubbly female. "A true Prince rising to the occasion when it calls for it as always!"

"K-K-Koenma sir! How did you find the guts to say that to Kurama after you knew he found out?"

Koenma looked at the two warily. "Easy Jorge, I open up my mouth and speak with _thought _put behind the words." He looked at the ogre evenly, wondering if the ogre would pick up the insult he laced inside the answer. He sighed as the two continued to stand there. "Back to work, this is a time of war."

They nodded, hanging on for the words about to come out of Koenma's mouth as he opened it again.

"Not a time to awe at my awesomeness."

Jorge and Botan face faulted as Koenma busied himself back under the leagues of paperwork at his desk.

* * *

Kuwabara starred at the black haired thing sitting in the corner of the kitchen drinking a glass of whole milk in large gulps, pouring himself more when he finished to drain the whole gallon of milk in a matter of a few large glasses. His fingers twitched. He followed a stupid impulse to poke Hiei.

"Runty."

Hiei ignored Kuwabara, pouring the remainder of the milk into his glass. Yusuke rolled his eyes from behind the pair.

Kuwabara reached out again, poking harder. "Runty."

Hiei's eyebrow twitched but did nothing. Yusuke grinned, leaning forward on his elbows on the kitchen countertop in anticipation of a good show to be thrown. His half eaten slice of pizza sat forgotten. Kuwabara's finger twitched in wanting to poke the small demon again. Poke. "Hey Runty."

Poke.

"Runty!"

CRASH!

Glass tinkled as it crashed to the floor from the impact thrown against it to the innocent looking wall. "What is it oaf?"

Kuwabara blinked as he realized he had the fire demon's attention span on him. "Oh," he said shortly. He stood in thought for a minute before grinning. "Just wanted to know if demons had any bones to keep strong with milk!"

Yusuke laughed out loud at Hiei's expression.

"Do...you...wish...to...die...oaf?"

"Don't like me in the room Runty? Well tuff toe nails!"

"The mere thought of you fool causes me brain damage!" Hiei sat up from his chair in the corner, the empty carton of milk forgotten as it feel onto the floor, sword being yanked angrily out from his scabbard. Yusuke leaned farther forward as he watched the entertainment unfold before his eyes, Kuwabara's spirit sword being whipped out.

"Now, now Hiei. Kuwabara," came a voice from the doorway.

Yusuke slouched, returning back to his pizza as his entertainment for the day disappeared. "Maaan, 'urama," he managed with the pizza inside his mouth before swallowing. "Your timing stinks. Go away for a minute and let them stay at it for a while wills ya. Thanks, you're a pal."

Hiei threw Yusuke a look, sword already being placed away as Kuwabara's own spirit sword zapped back out of existence. Kurama frowned at Yusuke. "Koenma has a mission for us. Too many lower class demons are crossing into Human World, the balance being thrown off as even the upper classes are trying to get inside Human World. Oh yes, where did Kiora wind up to?"

The two teens shrugged. "I dunno," Yusuke answered. "Just like I don't know why Koenma likes making me suffer. But," he stood up leaving his dirty plate on the countertop, "better than a brain buster. Lets jump straight to the part I like, busting some asses."

Yusuke and Kuwabara exited the room; Hiei gave Kurama a look as they soon followed as well.

* * *

"To...many...damn...demons!" Yusuke punched through another low class demon with ease, clearly ticked at the sheer numbers of demons crossing into Human World that Koenma just _'happened'_ to mention.

"Yeah!" Kuwabara said in agreement with a zing of his spirit sword.

The slashes of Hiei's sword echoed past all the lower class obscurely screaming of displeasure as they still attempted to enter Human World, the whip slashes joining in the chorus as Kurama's rose whip eliminated his own number of demons.

"Perhaps," Kurama thought out loud to Yusuke, "we should ask why all these demons are leaving Demon World even if they know there's a good chance they'll be killed by us."

"Yeah-punch-why are they running to death?" Yusuke spoke back to Kurama, and then yanked a scruffy C class demon up to his face. "Hey you. Scruff boy. Whats with all you demons," Yusuke paused to punch an approaching demon running at him, "racing into Spirit World all o'va sudden? Eh? Wanna enlighten the class here?"

The scruffy demon struggled with all of his 66 pounds of weight, the three-foot stature not helping him from escaping Yusuke's grasp. "Minions...in...Demon World!" The scruffy demon squeaked out. "Any...demon with a right mind...is escaping if they can! Let me go human scum!" The demon kicked outward with a small foot at Yusuke's arm, failing to reach with his shortness. "Even S Class Demons...are seeking ways...to get out if needed!"

Yusuke raised an eyebrow at the creature. "Really? Hear that guys?" The three still battling around him nodded at the question.

"Of course Urameshi! Now help us out already!" Kuwabara slashed his sword yet again on an opposing what someone would really want to call a Z Class demon at its appearance.

Yusuke nodded, punching the scruffy demon he received the answers from, returning back to the fray of fighting and inside his element.

* * *

"Shit! Keiko's gunna murder me!" Yusuke frantically searched the shop for any remaining Valentine Day items that he could use. Koenma had dispatched another team down to the demon problem as the demons kept trying to get into Human World even after seven hours of punching them down. Yusuke was clearly getting ticked as the weak demons just kept coming like stupid little fleas, his and the team despatched found it close to impossible to get them all. Lower class demons were slowly leaking through one by one. But that was yesterday. "How come no one told me Valentine's Day was today!"

Kuwabara shrugged at Yusuke as the mob around them searched for last of the minute Valentine Day gifts as well. "Maybe 'cause it was obvious. I got Yukina hers ages ago."

Yusuke snatched up the last box shaped like a heart, another pair of hands attached to it. He looked over at the older male, giving out a snarl. "Hands off my chocolate man!"

The man pulled harder on the box, the stress causing it to bend from the pulling on it. Just great! Yusuke glared harder at the opposing male, raising one leg up for a well-aimed kick to the man's gut. The guy flew backwards into the crowd by several meters, shoving his way back through where Yusuke was and diving to attach himself to Yusuke's leg. Yusuke looked down at the male, sighing as he easily dragged the man's weight as he shoved his way through the mob to the cash register. Paying the clerk with the amount needed, he looked down at the male still attached determinedly to his foot. "Lookie here," he put the box in front of his face mockingly. "I've paid for it dude. Tough luck." The man let go of Yusuke's leg, throwing his arms upwards to make a snatch for the box. Yusuke pulled it back with a scowl. "Piss off."

He walked out of the shop, calling behind him, "Yo! Kuwabara! Coming or do you like a pissy crowd shopping around you like that?"

Kuwabara made his own way out of the shop, noticing with a smile that Yusuke was attempting to fix the bend in the box before shoving it back inside the sack as he saw Kuwabara looking at his attempts. "What?" Yusuke snapped at the taller teen.

"Nothing," Kuwabara said nonchantly as he shoved his hands inside his pockets. "Lets get going. We'll be late for school."

"Yeah, yeah. Big deal. Who cares?" Yusuke strolled his way down the street, Kuwabara walking beside him.

Kuwabara looked sideways over at Yusuke. "Keiko would," he said simply.

Yusuke continued starring straight ahead as he walked. "...Feh'!"

But Kuwabara grinned as Yusuke hurried his pace.

"Whadda waiting for ya big lump? I thought you enjoyed the hell house they call education!" Yusuke called back at him.

* * *

Shuichi mentally sighed. I hate Valentine's Day...

Yet another group of girls ran up to him in the hallway giggling madly as they handed off the Valentine's Day gifts. Shuichi smiled as he somehow managed to find room with the others he already carried.

Perhaps Hiei would like all the sweets...

He suddenly spotted a familiar girl weaving through the hallway to him, her brown eyes catching his own as her brown head was seen making a quick pathway to him. Oh please, Shuichi thought to himself, not her too... He rather liked Sabishii without her turning fan girl on him.

"Hey Shuichi. Nice pile as always. Here, let me give you a hand from all those," Sabishii quickly took a bunch of roses from the top of the pile to carry them in her arms.

Shuichi smiled graciously at her, worries forgotten. "Thank you."

"Well," Sabishii walked with him out the school doors onto the sidewalk below, "I figure it can't be all that much fun with that many people lusting after your good looks."

Shuichi smiled, shifting the pile he still held in his hands. "No. I try to be polite as possible though."

"So, why did you look all worried when I came over to help you?" Sabishii asked him curiously.

He attempted to bit back the smile and laugh at the question but failed as she looked up at him, a small laugh escaping his lips. "I thought you went fan girl on me with it being today."

Sabishii flat out laughed at Shuichi's answer. "Me? Fan girl? Sorry, do you have the right female in question here?"

Shuichi joined her in her laughing, knowing that Sabishii was a bit abnormal in the eyes of her peers. She did everything her own way, not the crowds, loving to play up on the flock's emotions when she could. Like when she pointed out Kiora to him for the first time. He remembered over hearing her playing up on the Shuichi Minamino Fan Club when speaking to them, trying to get one to believe that a mental girl was smarter than the top student at the school. And perhaps the mental girl was, Shuichi thought with a frown as he ceased his laughter. Kiora had escaped from his own spirit lock on the bathroom and now she had disappeared again. Hiei had promised him that he would look for the girl today and ask her to stay up in Spirit World for a time instead of simply off and running every time she entered Spirit World.

"Hey," Sabishii said with a start as she stopped her own laughter, "I don't know about you but I'm starved! How about we get something to eat?" She noticed the number of chocolates he was carrying and added, "And I'm not talking about candy either. That's not a meal I'd look forward to."

Shuichi laughed again. "Sure. There's the Yukimura Restaurant a ways away. I know someone whom works down there. Just let me stop at home to rid us of this weight to carry. I'd rather not insult them by bringing in this much chocolate."

She laughed. "Great! A meal on this day that doesn't contain sweets! Most appreciated! How much does food at this restaurant usually cost?"

"No, no. I'll pay. There's no need for you to worry," Shuichi answered with a polite smile.

"Uh-uh! I'll be paying mister and there's nothing you can do about it! I'll beat myself up if someone would pay for me when I can do it myself, then frantically worry about paying them back for it! So no way are you going to put me through that mental bashing I'll hand myself Shuichi Minamino!" Sabishii laughed at herself, Shuichi giving her a wide smile.

"All right if you insist. But if mother asks, tell her that I'm paying otherwise I'll be the one with a guilty conscious."

Sabishii laughed. "Still a mama's boy Shuichi? You know that's just pathetic!"

Shuichi laughed back at her. "Still a rebellious loner Sabishii? Your family must be so proud of that."

"You should know...we live only a few houses apart! Of course they're proud! But I've heard my mother say that you should learn to break free from the mother's nest because you'll be homesick within only a few hours of moving away to college!"

"While your own mother speaks on wishing her daughter to come back to visit after she leaves for fear of you not returning," Shuichi teased back at her. Their mother's talked to each other now and again, speaking about their children among other things, so the two heard quite a bit sometimes.

Sabishii spoke up at him seriously. "I'm not one to cling."

Shuichi grinned, raising an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"What?" She asked at the look she was receiving.

"Merely remembering..."

"Remembering what exactly?"

Shuichi smiled in remembrance. "Last year. When you played up on the fan club."

She looked at him a while and then blushed as she remembered. "Well it was darn well worth it!" Sabishii laughed as he opened up the door for her up to his house. "The looks upon their faces when I cuddled up against you calling you my 'one and only'! And then you playing it up in handing me the bunch of roses that they gave you themselves!"

"Yay!" Cried a voice as the two entered. "Shuichi and Sabishii sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-IACK!" Shuichi's little stepbrother went dashing away from the room as Sabishii smacked him over the head with the bunch of roses she held.

Shuichi smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that. It'll only take a minute for me to put these in my room." He took the beaten up roses from Sabishii, carrying the stack of gifts up to his room. Returning back downstairs, he saw Sabishii looking down the row of pictures on the wall, currently looking at the wedding picture of the family living inside the household.

"Finally you come back down," she toned at him while still looking through the pictures. "My stomach's been complaining for the two days you spent up in your room. And you said it'd only take a minute." She grinned up at him as the phone rang.

"I got it! I got it!" The boy dashed across the room, grabbing at the phone before his elder stepbrother could, sticking out his tongue at him. "Hello, hello! Who's this?"

He blinked as the answer came, grumpily handing off the phone to Shuichi. "It's for you. Some dude by the name of Kido."

Shuichi took the phone from him. "Kido. Where have you been during all this time?"

Sabishii looked at Shuichi as he talked into the phone, looking at the younger boy questionably. He shrugged at her and wandered back inside the kitchen.

"Have more to tell me?" Shuichi paused, as Kido must have answered. "Oh. Understandable. ...I'm going up to the Yukimura Dinner, you know Keiko from Yusuke? That's the place." He looked over at Sabishii. "I'll be with someone however. ...Not quite sure I understood that, but will you be able to meet me there? Good. We'll have much to talk about considering it only gets more involved by the day. Bye."

Sabishii cut him off before he began speaking to her. "Meeting someone and want me to leave in order to meet them?"

"Actually," Shuichi frowned. "He said it wouldn't matter if someone was with me. But it puzzles me the way he put it... Let's go get something to eat, shall we?"

"Beginning to think I'd never get food inside my system. Hurry up you!" Sabishii ran out the door before yelling back at him. "Come on! I don't know where this place is!"

* * *

Silverwing013: Yay! Kido is back once more! Sabishii is back as well! Don't worry, she's Shuichi fan girl bug free! She's just...Sabishii. A normal human girl that just does what she wants no matter what the crowd does. She rebels that would be why Shuichi trusts her enough not to fall in the fan girl rut. But...what is Kido up to after all this time of being gone? Where has he been if Spirit World couldn't find him through all this time? 


	15. Love

Silverwing013: Yay! I have time to actually post something! Thank you for all of you who are still reading this one. Kudos!

* * *

"Kurama!" Called out the tale two voices. "Over here!"

With a faint sigh, Kurama walked over to where the two sat in the Yukimura Dinner, Sabishii following behind him.

Yusuke and Kuwabara paused in their eating. "What's with her Kurama?" Kuwabara finally asked out loud.

"Sabishii is the name my dearies," she said dismissively as she eyed the smaller female next to Kuwabara, sitting next to the girl in a hurry. "How did you ever fine such a nice blue dye! I've been looking for a color similar to this for ages!"

Kurama clucked slightly under his breath with a grin. "Sabishii, this is Yukina. Yusuke. And Kuwabara. Visa versa."

Yusuke nodded at Sabishii before yelling over the counter. "Hey Keiko! Ya got two more lovebirds to feed!"

A flustered Keiko turned around from her cooking duties with her parents. Her eyes quickly found Kurama and her face relaxed. "Hey Kurama. You don't mind waiting a while do you?" After receiving a confirmation shake of his head from him, she dived full force back into her kitchen duties.

"I mind," Sabishii said pointedly with a sigh that went unheard by Keiko. She snitched a good piece of food from Kuwabara with chopsticks found at the counter of the dinner. "Fanks Uwa'ara."

Kuwabara blinked in confusion. "Uh…. Your welcome." He glanced up at Kurama. "Keeping up the weird streak ain't we? I mean…Yusuke and Keiko…Me and Yukina…you and…." Kuwabara eyed the girl warily.

Kurama cleared his throat pointedly.

Sabishii paused in her eating only to steal the remainder of Kuwabara's tray. "I suppose most girls would be flattered to hear that with him but I remain my same loner self. I hold no interests in a guy. I came with for the food. Thanks again."

"Loner?" Yusuke asked. "Whadda doing out in public then?"

"I mean…let me put it this way. I have many friends and a family to boot. I like them well enough and all but…. I don't love anyone. I guess I'm not one of you lucky people who have that in your heart but I'm content going day by day--. Hey! Who did that?" Sabishii turned around to see the bustling crowd and no perpetrator in sight.

"Sorry. That was me." Said a voice.

"Kido?" Yusuke and the others turned around in search of the voice. "Where are you?"

"May we head upstairs by any chance Urameshi?"

Kurama's eyes widened just a fracture, glancing at his hand for a mere moment. "Minions…." He deduced. "Sabishii. Yukina. You two are fine here?"

Yukina nodded politely from the former conversation being held with the schoolgirl. Sabishii waved him away. "I brought my own money. I'll survive here Shuichi. Go on with your buddies."

Kurama paused slightly. "Here." A Hershey's bar was produced from nowhere. Kurama smiled at her confusion. "My stepbrother insisted on me passing it on even though I told him you didn't want chocolate."

"Oh. I see. When I get my hands on that little…." Sabishii paused. "Chocolate's fine in small amounts. I'll nibble on it until Keiko or someone else back there has time to reach us."

"That's funny. Kazuma gave me chocolate today too Sabishii. Is that what this holiday is about?"

"Pretty much. Ya fancy someone, give them chocolate or a card. I really don't like the holiday much…. Too much lovey dovey scenes of way too much televised PDA just for one single day out of the year."

A voice chuckled. "I agree."

Sabishii's head swiveled. "It's that voice again. What is he? Pea-sized?" She mock looked at the ground.

Kurama smiled briefly as another chuckle was heard at her actions. "Upstairs."

* * *

Kiora spat at the water bowl layed in front of her just for spite. The lower level mouse demon glanced at her with a shake of his head. "My lady. It is best to simply keep your water as clean as possible. Drink up while it is still cold."

"Bite me mouse boy!"

"Yukio does not harm his keepsakes. There is nothing to worry about."

"THIS ISN'T ABOUT YUKIO EVEN THOUGH THAT FOX DESERVES IT! THIS IS ABOUT THAT ASS!"

The mouse demon gave her a curious look. "I am beginning to wonder whom is a bigger ass than Y—" He shut his mouth quickly, peering around the nice pink lacy bedroom with no windows. He had no idea of any spies around the walls or even if Yukio had cameras placed around.

Kiora jingled the rough shackles attached to the overdone bed, yanking upon them as the frame visibly bent the slightest. She grinned.

"Don't do that! Last time you ran off you got those shackles on your return!"

Kiora pulled harder on the metal. "Do you think I wish your stupid master Yukio might keep his promise to visit me on Valentine's Day?" She snorted, pulling on the chains harder than before. "Tell me mousie…. A guy is visiting a female chained up to a _pink lacy_ bed on the acclaimed most romantic times of the year up in Human World. Gee, I wonder what the male will do? What would you do mouse boy?"

He stayed silent to the question, hanging his head slightly. Kiora tugged harder on the shackle.

"Stupid chain. That ass. Took my new damn powers. Have to deal with perverted fox demon. Stupid. Stupid! Why did I let the ass catch me off guard? Stupid little Hakku…. Huh?"

The mouse demon reached forward, pulling the shackle off with a snap. Alarms rang off. He grabbed her wrist. "Come on!" Kiora ran off, the mouse demon in lead.

"You do know the way out?"

He grinned, his gray mouse ears perking up at the top of his head. "Me? Of course! I give all keepsakes their water and food during the day! I know right where the food is hauled in **and** out!" He laughed. "Yukio always thought I feared him too much to do anything!"

Jerking her hand, he pulled her off down another hallway.

"Yukio! Thank you for this gift!"

Kiora jerked away from the mouse demon's hold. "What! Are you talking about me!"

The mouse demon laughed. "Not at all!" And he reached over to a lever on the wall, pulling it down. "I'm talking about this!"

Alarms simply pounded up and down the halls.

"What did you do?" Kiora shouted.

He laughed. "Why my lady…I released ALL of Yukio's precious keepsakes! That should keep him busy!"

She laughed as well, running around the corner with him. But was stopped short.

Yukio flashed his fangs at her, smirking as he clutched this keepsake close to his chest from running into him. Looking down at her, his eyes sparkled from under his hanging silver hair. "Hello my dear. Pleasure is all mine. Not many keepsakes run to me."

"LET!" Kiora jerked herself, failing to jerk his hold off of her.

"ME!" Tug, tug!

"GO!" Her eyes flashed a deep violet and in the next second both her and Yukio had disappeared.

The mouse demon blinked at empty air. "Damn…. I did so want to mate to that little fireball of a female human. Not even Chicirro had that much fire to her."

Males.

Always a one-track mind.

* * *

"So…Sabishii," Keiko spoke out loud. "Are you and K-Shuichi…."

"No! I said so earlier! I am a loner! Biggest type of weird-o loner you can find but no. I'm not interested in Shuichi. And you can call him Kurama out loud," Sabishii added. "I kinda like the nickname."

Yukina tinkered out a laugh. The three girls had jumped outside the hustle and bustle of the restaurant the moment Keiko was given a break. Sabishii lounged on the top of the picnic table while Keiko and Yukina sat on the bench, one on either side of the table. Sabishii slyly glanced over at Keiko.

"What about Yusuke there Keiko?"

Keiko's face flushed slightly, glancing away from Sabishii's Cheshire-like grin. "Whatdoyoumean?" Keiko straightened to give Sabishii a piercing look with her eyes. "Yusuke is all brawn, small amounts of brain, fights whenever possible, has somehow earned a payless job doing it, sleeps on the roof during school, is rude, vulgar, smokes, b—"

"Ah ah!" Sabishii interrupts loudly. "He cares for you."

The simple statement hung in the heavy air.

Keiko swished her drink around in her medium sized cup. "Yusuke? The Yusuke Urameshi cares for someone? I doubt the delinquent cares one single bit," she said briskly taking a sip.

"Yusuke does care," Yukina spoke up. "He's saved the world numbers of times. But each time…."

Sabishii nudged Yukina a bit. "Continue oh beautiful blue one."

"But each time," Yukina smiled, "it dealt with protecting you."

Keiko gave Yukina this look of unbelievance. "Please. He got those three treasure things back because someone put faith behind his abilities and he wanted to see if he could hold up to the challenge of fighting 'demons'."

"I believe in being told from Kurama that Yusuke was more worried when you were in danger with the last treasure," Yukina said.

Sabishii crooned slightly from where she sat. Keiko's face grew faintly pink in the darkening sky.

"And what about that tournament?" Keiko said suddenly.

"Touguro threatened to kill all of his friends and family if he did not compete."

Keiko bit her lip, looking away. "He was just being macho…. Protecting the 'weak' female."

"Um…Keiko?" Yukina looked up at her. "I think you have Yusuke and Kazuma crossed."

Sabishii laughed out loud, jumping up from the table. "Hey! What do you guys think they're all talking about?"

Keiko snorted. "The infamous 'mission'. I've heard too many theories from Yusuke lately. At least missions do him some sort of justice the school can't place on him. Thought process."

* * *

"Why are we talking about this?" Yusuke said frustrated.

"Just cause you're so lame about it doesn't mean we all are Urameshi!" Kuwabara yelled.

Kurama bit back a growing smile.

"At least I gave Yukina her Valentine!" Kuwabara's face grew red. "While you go to all the trouble to get the stupid chocolates only to not give them to her!"

"Hey!" Yusuke barked out. "Who gives you the right to judge!"

Kurama coughed slightly from the side. Silence reined the room. "Thank you. Kido…back on main topic anytime soon?"

Kido's voice floated across the room once more. "Kasatto often came with a smaller shadow minion, the smaller never giving his name but said something curious to me once. 'Kill yourself before the shadows overtake you. For you hold the third.' That was the last I saw of that smaller shadow minion."

"But your family history is all about the shadows if I understood right," Kurama said.

"Yes," came the tense reply. "And my father died the moment I was born because of it."

This caused startled looks from everyone in the room. Yusuke and Kuwabara were finally pulled out of their silent fight of stomping each other's feet.

"He, like I, was born down the line of the very own Shadowland Goddess. Like every male before me, I will either die from having a son because a son is not a proper…." Kido's voice stopped. "Kiora…that girl…is from the only other second line of shadows. A very distant cousin of mine I suppose you could say."

"Two lines? And the traits of the lines are in the human race?" Yusuke said confused.

"I could just pull out the whole family history for you. Before she died, she bore a pair of twin boys from a fellow named HiAAAAAAHHHH!"

Kiora and an unknown demon fox appeared suddenly inside the room, causing all to jump in surprise. "QUIT FRICKEN TOUCHING ME THERE!" Kiora pounded her fists down on the fox demon. The demon maneuvered of to the side, eyeing the place around him quickly for distance. A quirking smile touched his lips before he turned back to the attacking female. He dodged again as Kiora accidentally rammed into Kido, causing the teen to become suddenly visible to the rest of the group.

The fox demon smirked again, his pale eyes sparkling in malice. Dashing forward, he called out behind his shoulder.

"Sorry about Aunty! But thank your friend for me on the gift for my grieving on a favorite Aunty!"

The fox demon laughed right out loud as Kiora grabbed at his reaching arms to disappear once more.

"YUKIO!" Kurama shouted out but too late for the fox demon to hear.

"Who in the fuck was that?" Yusuke managed out after some shock.

Kurama practically growled. "My cousin. Better known as a pervert with prestige."

Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kido exchanged looks, easily confused on the word 'prestige'.

Kurama stood practically fuming. "How in the hell did HE get his hands on her for a 'keepsake'?" Then Kurama's face widened in practically shock. "Did he say 'your friend'?"

"Uh…yeah," Yusuke said. "Don't look at me foxy boy," he through his arms up in a not guilty sign. "I didn't hand her out to anyone. I may dislike the mission but not nearly that much."

"Don't look at me either!" Kuwabara threw his arms up as well.

"I'm not," Kurama calmed their worries down. He looked evenly at the two of them. "But which one of us has been acting way out of personality after this mission started?"

Kuwabara gave them a stupid look. "All of you with demon blood."

"No!" Yusuke shouted out with an unbelievable look at the taller teen. "Do you not have big enough eyes Kuwabara or are you just plain stupid!"

He turned to face Kurama to confirm his guess. "Hiei."

Kurama nodded grimly. "Hiei," he confirmed.

"Damn! Why would Hiei do this?"

"You mean runty?" Kuwabara's eyes and jaw dropped. "No fricken way!"

"Hiei was gone during the time my demon mother would have been pulled into Shadowland. He was also gone when Kiora pulled her second disappearing act. I didn't really think much of it at the time considering she held her own power to do so," Kurama trailed off.

Kido coughed to break the silence Kurama created. "May I ask, what type of demon is Hiei exactly?"

Kurama and Yusuke shared a look at Kuwabara. Kurama gave a slight nod of the head to Yusuke and the black haired teen muttered something to Kido.

Kido's eyes widened. "Oh boy. You guys have a problem on your hands."

"Why is that?" Kurama asked confused.

"Have you heard about the soul of the traitor and what will happen to it?" Kido questioned.

"Yes. Wait…the actual original soul?" Kurama asked.

"Huh. What are you talking about you two?" Yusuke asked in confusion as Kuwabara nodded fiercely.

"It could be the base of the soul or Hiei may have his own," Kido said quickly enough. "But I'm talking about something else. Before the alliance became the well-known traitor…he helped uh…sire…the Shadow Goddess's two twins. If Hiei shares any part of that old soul…. King Enma help us because the alliance served the Shadow Goddess for nearly fifty years before he betrayed her."

Kurama leaned an arm against the wall for support.

Kido shook his head. "I'm sorry but as it goes in family history…." He paused to add with almost a finality. "They were mated."

Stunned silence.

"Excuse me Kido," Yusuke said rudely. "But have you seen Hiei around that girl? He hates her guts. Guy or girl."

"Perhaps we are lucky. Perhaps Hiei's soul sings out traitor instead of love."

"Love? Shrimpy isn't capable of love."

"Perhaps," Kurama finally spoke up with an almost certain and what one could say was a defeated voice. "It is."

* * *

Silverwing013: Two words. Uh-o. Has this been affecting Hiei? And if so...in which direction does it pull him? After all, one who saves...what? Obvious answer would be the three worlds, but what if it simply isn't all that simple as first taken by our gang? Until the next one... 


	16. Counterbalance

Silverwing013: Ummmmm…. Yeah. This hasn't been updated in a while (like everything else). So…yeah. Go ahead and scream bloody murder at me if you so wish…. But first, read it please?

* * *

"Stupid girl," Hiei hissed while he painted the wall a deep violet with the roller. "You do not realize th—" 

"Shut up tree boy," Kiora replied back. A quick shadow port caused her bright orange roller to smack him in the face before shadow porting back.

"Stupid girl…." Hiei disappeared from sight, a streak of violet suddenly splashed across her back before Hiei stood where he once started. "I thought maybe you would realize by now idiotic girl."

"Realize what? Your clear obsession with Shadowland makes it obvious that you are the traitor."

"No! Not a traitor you fool!" Hiei turned to yell at the girl in question. "You don't know anything about me! Don't judge on what you do now know! I know what I am judging over and feel sorry for you…." He turned away from her. "Your mindset and will is all too easily very much hers…." He turned back around. "I don't care much for you and I know you don't either. Keep it that way but listen to me stupid on this one thing. Never go inside t—"

"Hiei!"

The trio of boys trooped inside Kiora's room under the new paint job, Kiora eyeing them each one by one. Hiei started inching toward the window from her watching eyes not on him.

"I guess I made a mistake. _Miss_ Thing." Her voice had a bite to it

Startled, Kurama turned to look at Kiora. "You can see us now?"

"Yes," she snapped. "Now I can see and hear people. Whoopie fucking doo. I found your traitor. But I believe he's working for Shadowland, not your side."

Hiei jerked to a stop at his former exit strategy.

"You," Hiei toned, "don't know anything."

"Yes Kiora, you may be right on that." Kurama glanced over to Hiei. "That is the reason why we were looking for Hiei."

"When I say ally, I mean ally!" Hiei seemed beyond pissed as he chucked the roller down. "You fools just don't bother to figure out anything about Shadowland! I'm the ally for both sides!"

All were stunned at this statement.

"Maybe you'll figure out my reasons later. But both sides are aiming for the same goal. Balance." Hiei snorted. "If you idiots had bothered to do research…. Koenma's story is off from time."

"Then…the only one who would be able to know anything would be somebody from the beginning," Kurama deduced. A light sparked in his eyes. "You are some form of the Shadowland traitor. It is the only possible reason."

Hiei grimaced. "No I am not 'some form of the traitor'. I am me, damnit!"

"Same here," Kiora spoke up. "I never want to hear anything about me being the Shadowland Goddess or any such other stupid talk. I agree with Hiei elsewhere too. He is working on both sides." Letting the statement rub in, she turned to yell at Hiei. "So what the hell did you do to me!!??"

"Nothing human!" Hiei yelled back. "How dare you presume I did anything in the first place!"

"Because you sold me to Yukio! And I somehow have sight and hearing now! And you were being just way to evil."

Hiei sputtered at the simplicity of the last thrown in statement.

Yusuke and Kuwabara finally piped in. "Demon. Duh."

Kiora waved the chorus away. "Does not pertain to my argument; Hiei was acting eviler than normal."

Hiei mockingly raised his hand like a young behaved schoolboy and spoke in a high pitched voice. "I was on my best behavior. That's me 'being good'."

"Don't mock me! Mocking is like muck! Wafting and forcing your sewage smell onto others just because you can't handle your own manure!!" Kiora tackled Hiei with a battle cry.

"Tell me what you learned with your eyes and ears open to life then human!"

"Demons are dark demented evil beings!" Kiora lunged for the fire demon that managed out of her grasp. "They barely have an ounce of good on them!"

"Good! Then maybe you understand why I can agree with both sides!" Hiei tossed the girl off of him, brushing off any invisible dirt he may have gotten upon his cloak. "Justice has prevailed for so long and the basis for fair justice is good. But life is unfair. I have a feeling that this second Shadowland War right now is going to counterbalance the first one. Justice will not prevail by the end of the year. Holds the end of all three worlds. What ending was the prophecy really talking about?"

All four people in the room stared at Hiei's many words, taking in the idea of it. Kiora nodded to herself.

"It makes complete sense. The end of all three worlds. It is only saying that it will be the end of 'light', the shadows taking over. That's all it is." She nodded once more. "It's a balance."

Hiei left the room. "That's only my theory. And theories are technically considered dark in nature…."

Kurama paled at what Hiei had said. That didn't sound like Hiei was just saying it. It sounded like Hiei knew it as fact. 'And theories are technically considered dark in nature….' How many theories had Kurama himself made over this matter? And other matters? If Hiei knew all this so well…. How 'dark' was Hiei with how well versed he was in what was originally considered 'dark' and 'light' in the very beginning?

Perhaps Hiei had collected information too well over the past month.

Yet…it made utter sense. Had the world already fallen into darkness if Hiei's theory made sense to actually follow?

Kurama shook his head. Why was he thinking that way? Why did he only come up with more questions with this mission? With Hiei?

Something was very, VERY wrong. It both petrified a part of Kurama as well as another much **stronger **part feeling very lax, negligent, satisfied, and gushing in delight. If Kurama didn't have the part of him being petrified, he would have no trouble on his conscious mind about joining Shadowland's side right at this moment….

'It would be so very, very right.' A seductive voice reverberated with a pleasant tingle in his head that ran like a jolt through his body.

It took Kurama a couple of minutes to realize that it was his own voice and he rubbed his head, wary of several darker needs he thought he ridded himself of long ago….

* * *

Silverwing013: Dun, dun, da! Kurama's got himself a problem. Hiei's little theory upon this seems to make halfway sense to all. And Hiei's done more research than the rest of them! Gah'! So scary if Hiei is right, no? 

HieiFan666: Yes, Hiei has got his milk. Hiei is in this chapter. I'll let you debate on if he really is falling for Kiora. I can answer that myself with a surprising answer, but that would so ruin the end part (if I ever get there, hopefully).

Rose of Death: Ha ha. Update soon. I piff at that statement. I've been to busy to have everything 'soon'. Much apologies if you were eagerly awaiting this chapter…for half a year. (sweatdrops) I'm so bad.

Silverwing013: Will Kurama turn to the 'dark' side? Is Hiei's theory correct? Why is Yukina pulled into this problem in the next chapter? Ah….


	17. Aid

Silverwing013: Lookie! Fast update!

* * *

It would be so very, very right. Something was right in this world once more. His entire being was suddenly aflame with a severe laxness, negligent and less of that ridiculous sense of being _responsible_, steaming in satisfaction, and absolute gushing in delight. Gushing….

"Kurama?"

An annoying voice called out his name.

"Kurama? You okay?"

Pestering. So full of concerned hope. And so disturbingly wrong.

He turned his body, removing his hands from a once throbbing head to properly look at the person attached to the voice. "What!"

Kuwabara appeared shocked. "Kurama?" His hand reached out for the red head's shoulder. "Are you okay? You don't sound like yourself."

"Don't touch me!" Kurama smacked the hand away from his body, smirking at Kuwabara's reaction. And started laughing. It was cruel and pleasing, feeling both relax and tense at the same moment. He enjoyed the feeling, embracing it wholeheartedly. "How do I not sound like myself?"

Mirth rose threw his body and he could feel the ultimate rush coursing through his body.

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke yelled at his comrade. "Quit pissing off Kurama!"

Kuwabara jumped, ready to retort at this comment before realizing something. He took a fearful step backwards. "You guys…your eyes…." Kuwabara then gasped, head whipping around to see that Kiora was no longer in the room. "KIORA! WHERE'D YA GO!?"

With an 'omph', Kuwabara fell smack down on his face, unable to yell from the cocoon of plants surrounding his body. Deep violet eyes looked toward the doorway in anticipated joy before leaving the room. Yusuke was left laughing in Kiora's half-painted room at Kuwabara's situation.

With a jolt, Yusuke's eyes returned back to their normal color as he realized what had happened. "Shit!" He bolted from the room. "KURAMA!"

* * *

Balance would make complete sense. If she were to stop this Shadowland War's goal, the balance would be even worse. Therefore, she should allow the darkness to take over? Kiora stopped in the hallway, deep in thought over the matter.

"Kiora," spoke a voice from behind her. Kurama.

Sighing, she turned. "I'm trying to think over matters Mr. Thing, so if you would p—"

His hands grabbed her shoulders as he spoke straight through her words. "Hiei is correct. And the counterbalance must be followed. This is the end of all three world's current thoughts. Of how justice prevails all. How light is always correct. But no one even knows the difference between light and dark anymore, it has become to be questioned. The reasons behind the wrongdoing are finding logic in people's minds and whether or not it is a wrongdoing. The worlds are ready for the darkness even if they do not know it."

Kiora looked straight up at his deep violet eyes and at his face, finding sense in his talk. But she had nerves going up her spine, a bad feeling. Kurama leaned toward her, forcing her to take a step back into the wall.

His body was so close….

The burning heat of his being surrounding her….

She could see a strong and twisted delight simply racing through him, too fast for her to catch up to in understanding.

His gentle fingertips traced her jaw so slowly….

Kurama was….

Kiora could not think properly.

This was….

His hot breath tingled violently across her skin….

Into her ear….

"I've been ready for a long time…." His voice reverberated, heavily coated lust covering it. "Aid you. I cannot wait any longer…."

He draws in air through his nose, goosbumps covering Kiora's neck. His body shivers and leans closer. Kiora's mind had shut down, her body relaxing at Kurama's attention.

"So chilly…. That strong dark scent that overrides mine…. But intoxicating…invigorating…fascinating…and _stimulating_…."

His body presses tightly, nibbling at her lips….

So blank…. So empty….

'_Use him. Perfect portray of darkness. **And** it's been suppressed.'_

"KURAMA."

The red head turned at his name, spotting the intruder with a quirk smile. "Hiei. Must say I agree with the counterbalance."

"Hello my flying shadow."

Startled, shock reigned over Hiei's face as he turned to Kiora. He twitched. "Wh-what did you say?"

Blinking, Kiora shook her head and seemed startled over Kurama being so close. She strained against his hold.

Hiei's face went slack. "You went inside the throne room already…."

"Well duh! It's my throne room now!" Kiora struggled more against Kurama. "Let go of me Mr. Thing!"

Kurama's deep violet eyes sparked and the pair of them disappeared covered in darkness.

A portal.

Hiei stood left behind in utter shock.

And Kurama was the one who summoned it.

* * *

"HIEI! MAN! DID YOU FIND HIM?"

Hiei turned, Yusuke jumping back on the look he was given. "FUCKING SHIT HIEI!"

Smoothing out his face, Hiei reached into his pocket to pull out a large black stone. He was extremely glad now that he had not given to this to Yukina yet. "IF either of those two come back while I am gone, do NOT listen to a word they say and pound their asses OUT of Spirit World."

Clenching the large stone, a fuzz of black covered his body before disappearing with the aid of his own shadow portal.

"Flying shadow…. Hn'!"

* * *

Silverwing013: Kurama and those deep violet eyes do not match well, eh? Kiora hasn't seen Kurama long enough to realize that is not his regular eye color. And going inside that throne room did not help matters on her side.

MagicalRain- Thank you! Can't wait to read more? Well, how about now?

Silverwing013: I'll settle the matter by laughing evilly. Will Hiei be the 'superhero' and give Kurama his 'green eyes' back? Will that voice in Kiora's head be taught a lesson in taking advantage of a whacked out Kurama? Does flying shadow bear any significance?


	18. Contact

Silverwing013: Wow. But hey, don't expect sudden update on The Forbidden Past right now. The computer crashed two days after I finished the whole chapter. Curse that wretched machine.

* * *

A month flew by.

Two months.

Three was closing in.

Both Kurama and Kiora had not returned.

Hiei had returned after the two month mark, pissed as hell and had shut himself off inside his room. Every time someone came down to speak to him, he left the room by the window. Koenma had recorded the action several times. Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Koenma all agreed that it was best to leave Hiei alone. But even Kuwabara worried about the short fire demon's psyche. Every single one of them was worried. Frustration had reached a passing point.

Disbelief, however, was still in the air.

"Why?"

"Kurama would never betray us!"

"Kiora must have done something!"

"…but not on purpose. Would she?"

"Why?"

"Why?"

Why indeed….

* * *

"My dear fox," Kiora drawled out and leaned back on the throne superiorly. "You have shown great desire for aiding my cause. There must be some reason why you desire these ends so much…. A selfish reason, most likely, the best of all dark nature…. Tell me your dark nature; describe the tenth truth in full and utter detail…." Kiora paused in looking over at the demon fox before her. She leaned forward, grinning wickedly, and her eyes latched onto his. Deep violet eyes looked straight into dungeon darkness and the demon fox smirked. "I intend to fulfill your dark nature."

The deep violet eyes sparked in interest as the fox demon took long strides toward her. "Indeed," he murmured in barely concealed delight. He leaned closely, tracing his fingertips down the side of her face. "Fun without refusal, without _issues_…?"

"You, my dear fox, have worked along me long enough to realize…." Kiora paused with a quirking smile. "Darkness is not an issue. You no longer work with that annoying light covered fool. You no longer work for Spirit World. You work for me. Besides, my reborn mate is in fine position to destroy Spirit World from the inside at any given moment. But…if you so wish to play with them…I have no issues with that. A little mayhem," she grinned widely, "never is an issue in my book."

The fox demon grinned. "As I said before, I have always been ready."

Kiora smiled. "Now, what does my dear fox desire?"

"Shinies. The thrill. Sending people to their doom. The chase. Power of brain. Control. The prize. Many prizes…."

* * *

"KURAMA!" Koenma shouted as he bolted up from the monitor.

"WHERE!?" Yusuke and Kuwabara were up in a flash.

Sure enough, a slightly battered red head was standing at the large door and yelling hoarsely up at the camera.

"Koenma! …Yusuke!" He coughed, leaning against the Palace doors with one hand holding him up.

"We gotta go help him!" Kuwabara yelled, racing off.

Surprisingly, he was held back by Yusuke. "No. Hiei told me…. We cannot trust Kurama or Kiora. Something with not listening to a word they say and keeping them both clear from Spirit World. And…over this time…. Koenma?" Yusuke looked at the Spirit World Prince from the corner of his eyes. "Could you zoom in and check what color Kurama's eyes are?"

Nodding in understanding, Koenma did so with a squint. Several moments dragged by before he sighed in relief. Koenma smiled at Yusuke and Kuwabara. "Green."

As if it had been the go signal, Yusuke and Kuwabara took off.

"Hey man!" Yusuke raced up to Kurama, Kuwabara following. "What happened to you? Are you okay?"

Green eyes looked up to reassure Yusuke. The red head smiled. "I'm fine Yusuke."

"Then get your ass inside and get some rest."

Smiling again, Kurama thanked Yusuke as Yusuke helped him walk inside.

* * *

For once in the last three months, Hiei came out of his room to be social. He eyed the relaxed and joyful forms of all inside Koenma's office. Stiffly, he stood, giving unrelented staring at Yusuke.

"Hiei! Come join us! Kurama's back!"

"Yeah shrimpy! You can't be acting all depressed now!"

"Why is Kurama _here_?" He threatened tensely.

"Relax," Yusuke said. "I remembered what you said. Kiora can affect him, but she's not here. Plus, I checked his eyes first. All green. He was pretty beaten up though. He's resting in his room."

Turning on his heel, Hiei exited the office once more. "Hn."

He headed right into his room, closing the door. Not even a glance was placed at his picture set up on the wall of Shadowland prisoners. He headed right for the window, zipping straight for Kurama's room window. Kurama was not lying in the bed.

Slipping through silently, Hiei heard Kurama's voice from the bathroom.

"These things are more annoying than I thought." There was a faint hiss.

What was annoying, Hiei wondered to himself. Kurama was not one to complain normally around others.

"Hello Hiei, do you enjoy listening in on my pain?"

"Hn. You seldom let your pain known to others."

The red head appeared from the bathroom, turning off the light behind him. "I hear from Yusuke and Kuwabara that you were most affected by my leave."

Hiei stood silent, ignoring what Kurama was hinting at. "I want to hear from you fox." He gave an even look at the red head.

Kurama cocked his head. "Yes? Over what may I ask?"

"Were you affected by your own leave?"

Kurama sighed. "I fail to see where that question leads Hiei. One is never unaffected by anything. Yes, I was affected."

"To what degree?"

Kurama chuckled. "My my, we are inquisitive today."

Hiei silenced his mouth. Kurama stood for a moment, watching to see if there was any more Hiei had to ask. When it was apparent there was nothing, Kurama slid into bed.

"Whether or not you wish to keep staring me down is your choice Hiei. But either way, close the blinds so I can get some rest." Kurama rubbed under one of his puffy red eyes.

Hiei strode forward toward the bed, drawing out his sword to point it at Kurama's neck.

"Hiei. I am tired enough as it is. I'll spare with you later if that is what you want."

Kurama went to turn onto his side but Hiei pressed the sword tightly to the red head's neck. Hiei stared at Kurama, keeping his eyes on Kurama's.

"Your contact slipped," Hiei stated.

A hairline fracture of blood trickled down sharp metal.

* * *

Silverwing013: "Your contact slipped," is my favorite line from Hiei in Shadowland Blind thus far.

MagicalRain – thanks for loving it and wanting it updated! I feel so very much loved….

Silverwing013: Kiora's whole attitude has changed in the past month. Hmmmm, as for the rest of it? Daresay that I thoroughly enjoy cliffhangers?


	19. Chase

Silverwing013: ...and continuing.

* * *

"Whoops," Kurama replied nonchalantly. "It would seem it has slipped. Thank you for telling me Hiei."

Hiei narrowed his eyes at the pleasant talk. "Where is she?"

"Hm?" Kurama went to remove the said contacts, stopped by an expert shift of metal. "Really," he said sourly, "I have no idea what you are referring to."

"Don't give me that. She must be someplace nearby to keep you under her heed." Hiei took the chance then to glance about the room. "It doesn't help that my stupid relative…." Hiei trailed off, pressuring the sword bitingly down onto Kurama's windpipe.

Kurama glared up at the fire demon, annoyed. "What good would killing me do Hiei?"

Hiei bent down, leveling a glare back at the red head. "Plenty," he growled out. Backing up, Hiei shifted his body to the side. "She didn't even bother to attack me for that." Hiei looked straight at Kurama, continuing. "She doesn't give a rat's ass if you die for her cause."

Suddenly enraged, Kurama leaned forward as far as he dared to, spitting words spitefully at Hiei. "Hell if I care either! I've been waiting for _years_ for this moment! I die for no one's cause but my own! If aiding her does anything, it will give me pure, gushing, delight in being more alive than my mask will allow me!"

"And I promised my dear fox I would fulfill his desires," spoke a sudden voice.

Hiei twisted his head around, spotting no one. "You," he hissed out.

"Yes my dear?"

Hiei growled under his breath. "Where are you?! What are you planning to accomplish?"

"Hiei, Hiei, Hiei dear," the voice tut-tuted. It seemed to be taunting and aggravating Hiei as he could not pinpoint where the voice was coming from. "You cannot fight fate."

"The hell I can't!" Hiei barked out.

The voice chuckled. "My mate thought he could fight it too. Such a passionate guy he was in his beliefs. Falling in love with me, trusting me…. And he had no idea of what my tenth truth was, my _true_ desire…. Such a loving man your proceeder…. Pity his family died because of it. Even his descendants die from his dire mistake…."

Hiei swung his sword violently, next to where he once stood. The voice was right next to his ear, taunting him, saying he couldn't do a thing! Eyes blazing, he snapped. "Manipulative bitch!"

"Temper Hiei," spoke a different voice beside him. Nimble fingers squeezed his throat tightly as a powerful rose scent overwhelmed his smell.

Hiei froze, realizing what he had just done.

"Fate is sealed," whispered the more female voice. "Such a passionate and loving guy he was, trust placed in the people close to him…. Despite them turning on him."

* * *

Gingerly, Kurama entered Koenma's office and glomped by an enthusiastic pair of teammates. Chuckling softly, he gently pushed them away. "Yusuke, Kuwabara," he complained politely. "A little breathing room please."

The two quickly complied, apologizing and explaining off their excuses for doing so in the first place. Kurama simply lowered himself into a cozy chair, relaxing back with the grace only Kurama could pull off. Even when injured.

"Kurama," Koenma sighed in relief. "Are you rested?"

"I am fine," Kurama replied easily. He rested his cheek on his hand, tilting his head downward and barely looking up at Koenma. Koenma sent off ease by how relaxed Kurama was seated. He shook his head, smiling at Kurama's words. It must be a result of his true injuries during the time away from us, Koenma thought simply.

"Good. Seeing how you're here, mind explaining what happened to you during that time."

Letting a smile filter through his face, Kurama closed his eyes and crossed his legs. Tilting his head a bit more on his hand, he opened his eyes back open to peer at Koenma through red bangs. Koenma jumped on his chair, eyes wide. Kurama suddenly grinned, flashing sudden eyeteeth up at the Prince of Spirit World.

"I don't mind explaining," Kurama replied. His voice had taken on a lower tone. Shutting his eyes, he relished the moment, wafting his other hand loftily in the air. "It doesn't matter too much anyway."

"Nothing important happened in all that time?!" Yusuke cried out from behind the pair. "What a waste!"

"Yusuke!" Koenma said sharply. His voice efficiently stopped the spirit detective from complaining farther. Koenma pushed his chair as far away as possible, sitting up straight with fear stricken eyes.

"What the hell?" Yusuke said in the back of the room.

Kuwabara added his own voice in. "I don't think that's Kurama. It doesn't feel like Kurama anymore!!" His words ended in a high shrill.

"I'm hurt," Kurama replied simply. He smiled lazily, eyes at half mast. "After all," Kurama trailed off the words. The sentence was never finished.

"Kurama," Koenma managed out, fear still wide in his eyes as he stared at Kurama. "Explain."

"Hm." Kurama leaned back in the chair. "How should I explain? Ah." His eyes opened fully, to grin at Koenma's fearful face. "As Hiei once said, 'Your contact slipped'." Kurama uncurled the palm under his cheek to hold it open for Koenma to see. "Further explanation is unneeded."

"Contact slipped? What the hell are you talking about Kurama?" Yusuke strode forward.

"Urameshi!" Kuwabara shrieked out. "Get away from him!"

Yusuke's body had frozen, staring at what lay in Kurama's uncurled fist. A pair of green contacts. Slowly, as if unwanting to confirm it, Yusuke looked up to Kurama's face. "Hiei was right," he spoke softly and slowly in disbelief.

He suddenly grabbed Kurama by the front of his shirt. "Where's Hiei you bastard?! How dare you turn on us!!? Why!!" He shook the red head fiercely, unbidden tears threatening to fall.

Kurama merely sat there, a malicious glint in his eyes as he watched Yusuke fall apart, smirking. "Justice is ending."

The words echoed across the room, meaning of them unclear.

Chuckling, Kurama spoke again. "I enjoy the sound of that. Justice is ending."

Yusuke shook the red head again, screaming. "YOU SAID THAT JUST BECAUSE IT SOUNDED GOOD?!? ANSWER MY QUESTIONS GODDAMNIT!!"

Kurama stared blankly at Yusuke, looking bored. Then he suddenly leered at the short tempered boy. "Make it more interesting," he challenged.

Yusuke's fist flew back and demolished the chair. Panting at the energy and anger, he whipped around. "GET THE HELL BACK HERE!"

A large silver fox with many tails came from above, crashing Yusuke through Koenma's floor. Yusuke screamed loudly in the midst of his decent, Kuwabara racing to the hole to see the large chunk of mangled skin and blood on Yusuke's back. Kuwabara dropped through the hole, and yelled "incoming".

Looking about, there was no large fox about and Kuwabara rushed up to check up on Yusuke. Yusuke attempted to push himself up, muscles snapping as he moved his arms. That attack on his back was a major calculated set back for the detective.

Lying under a toppled desk, the large fox was munching on his piece of Yusuke, its many tails twitching in anticipation of the chase.

The chase of its prey. The thrill of control, sending others to their doom. The prize….

The silver fox's deep violet eyes flashed with a wicked gleam.

* * *

Silverwing013: Oh how Kurama has fallen. Points to anyone who can tell me how control on Kurama's 'dark side' can be broken. Big points to anyone who can understand the statement 'justice is ending' and yes, it is important. Other than that... Oh! Next time on Shadowland Blind! Will Yusuke survive the 'chase'? Will Kurama snap out of his 'deep violet' state? Will Hiei come back? And will Koenma wet his diaper or will he start PMSing once again? 


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